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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23444773">~Family Issues~</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sekrap/pseuds/Sekrap'>Sekrap</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dimension Reinvention [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hermitcraft RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Admin Grian, Admin Xisuma, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Character Study, Coliseum Fighting, Demon Tango, Demons, Dimension Travel, Distrust, Domesticated Creeper Doc, Druid Stress, Fight Scene, Flashbacks, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Mind Control, Magic and Science, Misuse of Potions, Nether Update, Not Canon Compliant, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PTSD, Permadeath, References to Canon Compliancy, Rival Governments, Science Experiments, The End (Minecraft), The Hermits Are A Big Happy Family, The Nether (Minecraft), Voidkind, Voidkind Xisuma, Winged Grian, Wizard Cub, Wizard Scar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:28:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>64,354</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23444773</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sekrap/pseuds/Sekrap</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Deep Void was behind the Hermits. The world was rocketing towards it's normal industrial self with giant buildings and extensive farms and endless beauty. And then the Nether changed.<br/>One should know better than to mix family issues with the Hermits, especially if that family is a bunch of demons.</p><p>The second installment of my Trickster series! It's placed in the same universe, so I would suggest reading Trickster first if you haven't already, but it isn't necessary if you're alright with being a wee bit confused here and there. Enjoy my friends!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Dimension Reinvention [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686619</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>308</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>309</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It wasn’t that Tango was scared to share the Nether he had known for all of his life with the Hermits. It was just that it came about very suddenly. And after what had happened with Xisuma and Grian, the Hermits were on high-alert.</p><p>He was one of the first demons to push for it, really. The Deep End and the Deep Nether were much the same, if you traveled far enough into either dimension you could come out the other side in a new world like silly children in the playground claiming they could dig their way through the planet. The deeper into the Nether one went the stranger it became, filled with logic-defying creatures and technology not even the best redstoners could match. The vines that grew there crept into the worlds around them slowly all on their own. Demons had taken to burning the vines so any trace of the Deep Nether would be lost, but finally they had let the trees grow into the world the Hermits knew.</p><p>Now the line between the Deep Nether and the Nether had been blurred greatly. As Tango looked down at the hoglins and creep vines and soulsand and striders, flourishing aimlessly in this hellish dimension, the demon felt someone playing his heart strings like they were of a guitar. Something rolled inside of him as he peered at the Nether Fortress in the distance and tried to think about how he would feel about another demon entering the Hermitcraft world. The landscape reaching far out of the view of his nether-fire eyes changed day after day as more and more creatures wandered into (his) Hermit territory.</p><p>It had been exactly three days since he saw the first of the blue trees creep into Nether of the Hermit’s seventh world. Xisuma and Grian decreed that until the Nether had been explored and deemed safe all nether portals were to be placed on the Nether roof, in the strange nebulous area between dimensions. Everyone agreed and the portals were quickly shifted, but behind Tango’s back was his obsidian frame still in perfect order, still nestled in the crooks of his rapidly changing Nether.</p><p>It groaned behind him, the eyes swirling endlessly as the ancient magic went <em>woosh</em>. “I thought I’d find you here.”</p><p>Tango glanced over his shoulder at Impulse and offered a smile. He was sitting on a netherack lip, legs dangling over the forests growing below. It was a nice sight for the demon and he was more than happy to share it with his friends. Armor clanking, Impulse sat next to his plain-clothed friend and looked out over the misty expanse.</p><p>“When you said you had something to deal with in the Nether, I thought you just needed to have a stern talk with a wither skeleton or something.” Impulse smiled. “But this? It’s just… woah.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Agreed the demon. His red eyes pierced through the mist as if it wasn’t even there, his blood refreshed by the thick air of the oppressive Nether. “it’s something.”</p><p>“I really thought you were the only demon for awhile.” Admitted Impulse.</p><p>Tango scoffed and leaned back on his hands, relishing in the humid air. “Ooh yeah cause that’s sciencshmifically possible.”</p><p>With a small laugh from Impulse, the pair relapsed into silence. They were good friends and the sky wasn’t falling in so it wasn’t inherently awkward. Unfortunately for Impulse, as the seconds ticked away, something crawled up his back the longer he and Tango were silent. Not wanting to stare, Impulse stole glances at Tango, seeing his friend examine the horizon with his lips pressed into a hard line.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Asked Impulse, frowning at his friend and shoving the usually energetic redstoner on the shoulder.</p><p>“I’m just anxious man. Big changes, you know?”</p><p>“I think this whole month had been several big changes.” Impulse said, which finally made Tango laugh. “I thought the Nether was your whole thing? Why are you so worried about it?”</p><p>The demon’s eyes trailed through the mist to the looming Nether Fortress. The tall imposing walls were crumbled and broken from years and years of abandonment and lack of upkeep. Most Nether Fortresses were abandoned when mortals first entered the Nether, leaving only the guards who were cursed to roam the halls forever. They made good pickings and the enchantments rattling around in their craniums could summon beasts like Withers. But as the fauna returned to this part of the Nether, vines and mushrooms began growing on the crumbling walls, Tango knew nothing good could come of it.</p><p>“Well, like, I’m the only demon you guys know, and I’m pretty <em>relaxed</em>-”</p><p>“Tango, I love you, but every time you build an iron farm you spend at least a week mulling over another way to kill the golems. You’re not relaxed.”</p><p>“I’m a pretty relaxed <em>demon</em>.” Tango snorted, meeting Impulse’s eye. “There are other things down there that… the Nether is great. Its always been my home and always will be, but I’m a Hermit for a reason.” That seemed to shake the demon out of his stupor. He got to his feet, dusted himself off, and held out a hand for Impulse. The man was hard to read, lacking pupils and all, but Impulse managed to see something sort of haunted in him. Tango heaved Impulse to his feet and offered a terse smile. “I’m a Hermit for a reason.”</p><p>Impulse already knew Tango was saying that more for himself than anyone else.</p><p>“Heck yeah you are. I think everyone is just a little paranoid after the whole Amendments thing. A few of us are meeting up tonight to hang out and mess around if your interested.” Impulse could see the tension Tango was holding and knew the man was never more of his extroverted self than when he was messing around with his friends. “But I do think it’s only for cool kids.”</p><p>“Oh shut up,” Tango chuckled, walking backwards towards the Nether Portal. “where and when?”</p><p>“Sunset in Doc’s speakeasy. Don’t be late.”</p><p>Tango slipped through the Nether portal grinning, leaving Impulse behind. Ever since everything was moved to the Nether roof the portals were just a tad janky, so Tango remerged one hundred feet above where he had just been with a snort and a laugh. He looked at the dizzying trails of golden pressure plates and stained glass going every which direction. The demon stepped right back into the portal, letting the nauseating feeling of being teleported sway him and fill his head with cotton.</p><p>As Tango pulled himself out of his basement and into the living area of his starter house, he peered out the window to where the sun was perched in the sky. The very edge of the horizon had begun to burn so Tango decided he better get ready for… whatever awaited him at Doc’s place.</p><p>Getting ready was just making sure he wasn’t covered in netherack or redstone and had enough rockets to fly over, so it didn’t take long. The shadow cast by Bdubs and Doc’s half houses loomed over the bay as Tango drifted onto the coast. Bdub’s beautiful decorations were spilling out of the house, but Tango knew he had moved out of it around the same time he came back from the Nether. As he stepped onto the warm wood of Doc’s half of the house, he could already feel the heavy base of the music playing downstairs.</p><p>Stomping on the noteblock after trotting down the cobblestone steps, Tango grinned as the doors peeled away to reveal a sizeable amount of Hermits gathered around the tables talking. Music played softly, classical jazz shaking the floor with it’s deep notes and twisting through the room with it’s rhythm. Yet the hum of conversation died pretty fast as the bookshelves parted to let Tango in, the people already inside going quiet before Grian grinned and hopped from his seat.</p><p>“Tango!” He beamed, wings flapping excitedly as he walked over to give the demon a hug. “I’m glad you came.”</p><p>Impulse stood from his seat and flashed Tango a (nervous) smile, waving him over. “Take a seat! We’re just talking about… uuh the farms! My and Falsie’s guardian farms are doing really well this year thanks to the double Admins we’re sporting.”</p><p>“Yeah!” False piped up. Her tense body language was easy to read since the shoulder guards she wore almost all the time now made her movements all the more obvious. “And with Head Games coming to a close we might be able to bring the prices in our shops down.”</p><p>“I stopped building my roof because they promised me a discount.” Said Grian, suddenly serious. His expression broke back into a smile as he led Tango to the poker table where the others had gathered.</p><p>The group included of course Tango, Grian, Impulse, and False, but also the owner of the house himself Docm77, Cleo, and Joe. Joe had brought drinks from his winery, which were really just potions that had been brewed for far too long and then topped off with tart sweet berry juice. Cleo said they were gifts from herself and Joe but everyone knew she was taking credit. Doc of course provided the space and let the group into his speakeasy for free for once, while False had brought her music taste to share. From what Tango could see on the table, the Impulse and Grian had brought their smiling faces just like him and the group had been in mindless discussion before he walked in.</p><p>Maybe not so mindless, Tango thought as he witnessed everyone’s eyes on him as if waiting for him to say something.</p><p>“What?” The demon asked intelligently. “You all look like you’ve seen a bunch’a raiders.”</p><p> Grian scratched his jaw and his wings rustled behind him. It was taking everyone to get used to the man’s new appendages and Xisuma’s weird body, seeing them in the skies without the sound of rockets or watching Xisuma appear from the darkness like he had been a part of it. While the man’s wings were kind of rad, the golden feathers often betrayed his moods like Doc’s creeper instincts betrayed his. The Hermits were quick to learn that Grian spread his wings when he felt cornered, let them droop when he was sad, flapped them when he was excited, and shuffled or preened them when he was nervous.</p><p>Getting used to being an Admin again, especially in the world that relied so heavily on Admins, was uncomfortable and Grian was often worried to over step. People looked up to him now and Grian also thought that was way too much responsibility. “Well, uh, Xisuma’s currently exploring the Nether. I’m waiting for him to call me in.”</p><p>“Oh,” Said Tango. “Oh, yeah! That’s spec-tabular! I mean I can help out- show you guys some of the tricks-”</p><p>“Actually, Tango,” Grian swallowed. His wings fluttered again and one curled around his arm, allowing the Admin to begin picking at any crooked feathers. “Xisuma and I agreed no Hermits should be there but us. I know that you’re a demon and all but we don’t want the… new Nether things to be… <em>swayed</em> by your presence. We want to see how they interact with mortals without another demon present.”</p><p>“I don’t know what the big deal is,” Doc said, flashing a crooked smile. His smile was stuck crooked now. When Iskall had him holed up in his lab for the first few days they were back from the Deep End, the inventor had to repair Doc’s mechanics by tearing them out and starting all over again. For three whole days Doc was delirious, hissing whenever Iskall came near. Everyone was very worried that the shiny iron that took up most of the creeper’s left side was for not and he would revert back to the feral creeper they met him as. His eye was made smaller and given hyper focus, but to fix where Doc had broken his jaw after being thrown into the wall, the plating had to crawl down the side of his face to be stable again. The creeper spoke with a small slur and his mouth couldn’t move much to the left, but Doc refused any of Iskall’s apologies because at least he was alive. The creeper was sitting at a stupid poker table with his friends drinking sour-tasting potions. “I’d love to raid that place and take the new things as a challenge.”</p><p>“Yeah, and think about the redstone!” Impulse smiled. “All the new farms and cool contraptions we can make with the new technology.”</p><p>“I’d love to try out the Nether Fortresses again.” False added.</p><p>Cleo nodded firmly. She wasn’t as reckless after being cured of her zombisim and was much more scared of death, but she was still a dervish of chaos and wicked smiles. “More stuff to find for sure. Less risky than what happened with our dear Admins.”</p><p>“Good for the winery business.” Joe said, holding up his bottle. It was a diluted regeneration potion with enough sweet berry juice to stain his tongue deep purple. “New lands to explore, everything becomes all the more.”</p><p>“No,” Tango frowned. “G-Man is right.”</p><p>“I am?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Said the demon. Impulse saw the same strange expression of conflict written in his blank red eyes. “The Deep Nether has always been pretty brutal.”</p><p>The Hermits around the table shifted. Everyone was watching Tango again, waiting for him to elaborate. Tango realized he shouldn’t have said anything about the Deep Nether being dangerous, especially since the Hermits knew he was one of the demons who encouraged the royal court to allow the Deep Nether to spread. Everyone was high-strung after what happened in the Deep End and no matter how close the Hermits were playing teasing had the opportunity to cross the line far too often.</p><p>“I mean, it’s not that bad!” The demon gasped out, leaning back. “There’s a lot of… well, <em>demons</em>, but it’s fiiine. I know what I’m talking about! I survived down there for the first, like, lots of my life.”</p><p>“Let’s stop talking about things out of our control,” Suggested Joe. “Docm77, how about you show me this fantastical machine behind us and take all of my hard-earned diamonds?”</p><p>“I would be delighted.” Grunted the creeper, pulling himself to his feet.</p><p>Without the focus on the two of them, Tango and Grian were able to relax. Being under the scrutiny of the Hermits no matter the context was terrifying. Grian pulled himself out of his seat and flapped over to investigate. Tango sat back with Impulse, False, and Cleo, watching the humorous scene play out in front of him.</p><p>Despite Impulse’s best wishes, Tango wasn’t sparking to life the presence of his friends. He sunk back into his seat and watched, and while a smile played at his lips, he didn’t say anything. It was very unlike Tango to be quiet, especially in a night dedicated to goofing around and being stupid, both of his specialties. As Cleo joined the fray in front of the gambling machine, Impulse and False shared a look. With Head Games and their Guardian farms and the ink business alive and well, they had spent a lot of time together, and they could read each other perfectly.</p><p>
  <em>This is weird, right?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tango is acting super unlike himself.</em>
</p><p>Everyone laughed as Joe’s angry voice raised above the din of the room. “Doc, you madman, you <em>genius</em>, your cursed invention has ruined me!”</p><p>Doc and Cleo fell into laughter and even Impulse and False giggled though their little stare down had blocked out most of what happened. False joined into the mess and offered Doc some of her prized armour if he would let her play for free. The night sped along, glass bottles piling up on the poker table as the Hermits joked and laughed and slowly got over the beginning discussion. Impulse felt nothing but sweet relief when Tango finally began to participate, even if he did lose three diamonds to his friend. As the moon left it’s perch in the center of the night sky and began to fall, finally the rowdy Hermits decorating Doc’s basement did too.</p><p>“You all can crash upstairs.” Doc offered, smile tired as he rubbed at his eye. “I’ll warn you, haven’t cleaned up from Bdubs’ prank.”</p><p>As the Hermits headed for the stairs, their communicators beeped.</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid was burnt to a crisp while fighting a Rabid Demon</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once the Admin looked at his communicator and saw that message, Grian disappeared from the speakeasy. Admin magic was silent and invisible but everyone could guess the builder had warped himself to respawn to see if Xisuma was there.</p><p>Dread settled thick in the Hermits, glancing at each other in silence as they wondered if Xisuma had wandered too far into the Nether to reach him.</p><p>“Tango,” Impulse said, and everyone in the room knew what he was asking.</p><p>“I- I don’t know.” Said Tango, voice a small breath as he looked around the room as if for answers. “I- it depends- I mean he’s probably fine-”</p><p>“Probably?” False asked, scowling. The communicators dinged again and the room breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>
  <em>Grian: Xisuma is fine. Everyone go to sleep for the night, save your questions for tomorrow</em>
</p><p>“I don’t like that,” Said Joe, thumb hovering over the power button of his communicator before shutting it down for the night. The rest of the Hermits in the speakeasy followed in suit, all but Tango, who stared at the death message until his eyes stung.</p><p>Before he had a communicator, there was no death message when someone died whether they respawned or not. He learned everything’s names slowly when he first moved to the Overworld. He had heard the word <em>mortal</em> several times, but never human, creeper, sheep, fish, bee. All Tango knew was what was of the Nether, and a tiny bit about the immortal Voidkind that were banished from their realm. Looking at that death message, Tango realized he didn’t know about the Admin titles for different types of demons.</p><p>Was Tango classified as a rabid demon in the eyes of an Admin?</p><p>“You guys can still crash here,” Sighed Doc, pocketing his communicator and walking out of the speakeasy without another word. The visitors glanced at each other and followed him up the stairs to the first floor where the night air pierced the room and filled it with moonlight. A groan of a zombie echoed through the dark and Cleo flinched. Joe pat her shoulder and Doc waved the group deeper into the house. “They don’t spawn in here, don’t you worry. It’s never much of an issue.”</p><p>Joe and Cleo parted from the group then, sailing to Joe’s winery for the night so Doc’s house wouldn’t be crowded. Doc flopped into his bright pink bed and False giggled before curling up next to him after unclipping the armor she saved from Doc’s greedy hands. Impulse curled up in the plush chair in front of the desk and cradled his head in his hand. Tango just flopped on the wooden floor and stared up at the ceilings with no intention to sleep.</p><p>Even if he wanted to, the demon doubted his head would shut up long enough to let him rest.</p><p>----------</p><p>As he looked at the ominous message on his communicator, Grian shut his eyes and delved into the ones and zeroes he didn’t realize he missed until Xisuma had helped him find them again in the first week after they returned from the Deep End. Grian found Xisuma’s coordinates pretty fast and teleported himself without a second thought, eyes opening to see the small island that made up spawn. Xisuma laid next to the bed since his Voidkind body couldn’t exactly fit on it, star fire red eyes staring up at the sky as he took in deep breaths. It was strange to find the Voidkind here and not the last place he slept, but Grian tried not to think about it as he rushed over.</p><p>“Xisuma what happened?” Grian asked, kneeling next to Xisuma. Xisuma didn’t look injured, just startled, and the other Admin flashed a smile at the winged Hermit who was so panicked his wings were spreading behind him before he even noticed.</p><p>“I don’t really know to be honest. I was walking through this one biome, it’s called a warped forest apparently, but I was just walking and felt my back burning.” Xisuma grunted as he sat up. His filmy wings were undamaged when he spread them but the respawn hadn’t fully healed his back. Where the fire must have seared his void-ish body, the speckling of stars and blackholes on his skin had twisted together and warped into a star-shaped, grey mess of scar tissue.</p><p>Respawn was a powerful element of Admin damage. When a creature that had respawn set to True took mortal damage, Admin magic would help them regenerate just enough to survive whatever had killed them. The magic would then… turn back the clock in a way, bringing the creature to the place they had last slept to wake up. One would drop their items since the Admin magic could only affect the organic material of the creature, and not all wounds from whatever caused the person to respawn would be healed.</p><p>It was gruesome, confusing, and could often be painful, but it was better than suffering with permanent death in such a dangerous world.</p><p>Xisuma rubbed the knot of scar tissue and hissed through his teeth. Grian lurched closer as if to help but Xisuma waved him off with a tired smile. “It’s alright. Doesn’t hurt that much. It was weird though, cause I started looking around, and there was nothing there. You know the sound portals make?”</p><p>However silent, Grian nodded and sat on the bed. His wings rustled and he looked worried.</p><p>“Yeah, I heard that a few times. Like <em>woosh, woosh, woosh</em>, surrounding me!” Xisuma said. The Voidkind rolled onto his feet and stretched his arms above his head. “I kept turning to try to see what it was but all I was met with was the forest! I felt more fire hit my back so I make a radial blast and hear someone shout at me. There was this demon! Like Tango but- scarier! It snarled and stopped shooting me with fire but just jumped on me. It has these… <em>wild</em> teeth. What was the death message?”</p><p>Taking out his communicator, Xisuma glanced and his eyes widened. Grian smiled sheepishly. “Yeah… I was actually with Tango when we got the message. He looked freaked out.”</p><p>“We should talk to him in the morning,” Xisuma sighed, looking at where the moon was beginning to fall towards the horizon. “For now, I want to sleep.”</p><p>“I’ll fly you back to the jungle in case you fall off your feet.” Grian smiled, batting his wings and taking to the air. He twisted in circles around the other Admin until Xisuma was able to take to the sky with him and the pair began drifting towards the jungle that held Xisuma’s giant base. As they flew side by side, both knowing full well they could just teleport, they were silent.</p><p>High above where any tree could grow and any mob could spawn, the cool night was quiet. The biomes they drifted through were warm enough to fend off the sharp weather. Being able to look down at the marvel that was the new Hermitcraft world was always a treat, especially after the End Bust to end all End Busts. Unfortunately, the two Admins looking over the world they were sworn to protect didn’t feel the same pride they usually did. They felt fear. Last time they explored another dimension several people almost died. This time, the dimension was quite literally entering their world like a virus infecting the Nether beneath their feet.</p><p>Xisuma shivered when he thought about the teleporting demon who moved with the sound of a Nether portal. If Tango did it before, any other demon could learn how to use a Nether portal.</p><p>Any demon could walk right into Hermitcraft with an army trailing behind them.</p><p>With a firm nod from Grian, Xisuma allowed himself to spiral down in his base and land gently. Grian flew over head, golden wings almost silver in the moonlight, and disappeared into the trees. Xisuma smiled to himself as he searched his scattered base for a spare bed. Nothing was like being a Hermit, throwing down a bed in the middle of a hallway, finding it a week later, crashing, and leaving it just where you found it.</p><p>When morning came, that’s just what Xisuma did: leave the random bed in the center of his build for next time he decided he needed to crash.</p><p>He spent the first face of sunrise tending to his bees, making sure they were happy and fed and the honey was harvested. While he waited for the rest of the server to wake, the Voidkind decided it wouldn’t hurt to work a bit more on the base. His new (old?) Voidkind body didn’t struggle with lifting concrete anymore and the process was sped up significantly.</p><p>Building was therapeutic. It was quiet and repetitive and in the jungle the heat was accompanied by sweet smelling honey and kind bird calls. Usually Xisuma used this time to brush up on the music he didn’t realize he missed so much until rejoining with Ex, but that day no music came from his giant base as he worked on the interior. No whistles, nothing, and if there was a bird call, Xisuma didn’t hear it. Every time a concrete block went <em>thunk</em> and fell into place, the Admin was only thinking about what to do with the Nether.</p><p>The sun was finally high in the sky, the warm colours of sunrise lost to the crystal blue of day. At that time, Xisuma new it would make sense and be much less threatening if he reached out to Tango now instead as the poor man was waking up, so the Admin put the rest of his building materials away and took out his communicator.</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: Hey Tango. Is there a place you and I can meet somewhere soon? No rush.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>TangoTek: Just working on Toon Towers, free whenever</em>
</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: I’ll be there in 10 sec</em>
</p><p>Taking to the air on his Voidkind wings, Xisuma drifted above the canopy. He twisted his wings and caught the wind, soaring towards Tango’s cartoon towers like he had about a week prior to investigate what the madman had made this season. The towers were getting taller and crazier and all the more colourful, bringing a smile to Xisuma’s lips as he began to circle the three of them and descend to the grass below.</p><p>“Tango!” He shouted up at the towers, wandering around the empty backs and looking for the demon that populated the crazy looking place. There was no way those buildings should be able to stand on that angle…</p><p>“X!” Tango shouted from a window far above. He hopped out and fell about half-way down until finally letting his wings catch him. The man soared down until his stomach was inches form the ground, barely pulling himself up in time to stand before plowing into Xisuma or eating a mouthful of dirt. A grin plastered on his face, Tango brushed his hair out of his face and dusted himself off. “Morning! What’s brings you to Toon Towers, best place on Hermitcraft?”</p><p>“Looks great, Tango.” Smiled Xisuma. “Uh, is there a place we can… just talk? Sit down and have a conversation?”</p><p>Tango’s smile fell. The red of his eyes pulsed and his shoulders lifted as if to protect himself, but he nodded. “Yeah, uuh, Toon Towers ain’t really built for <em>comfort</em> at this tiiime… My starter house could work.”</p><p>The Admin nodded, trying to keep his smile. Tango was certainly acting strange and nothing about the situation that had unfolded before them felt right. They walked over the hill to the quaint cabin resting by the shore, the monster that was Impulse’s base blocking the view significantly. Inside was sparse, but Tango threw himself up to sit on the crafting table and Xisuma leaned on the counter to his side. They sat in silence for awhile, both waiting for the other man to start, and Xisuma sighed as he realized it was his job to do the annoying thing and make this conversation happen.</p><p>“I’m sure you saw the death message last night.” Tango only nodded, looking at his feet with a small pout, arms crossed over his chest. “I know you think that the Nether is safe for the Hermits, and I’m guessing you think that you can protect us, but take it from me Tango, it’s better to know what’s going on then find out when it’s too late.”</p><p>“Last night was a fluke.” Scowled Tango. “I haven’t seen a rabid demon in years. They’re super rare.”</p><p>He knew that was a damn lie. Tango still didn’t know if <em>he</em> counted as a rabid demon, or, or a civilized demon, or <em>worse, </em>a sophisticated demon. If Tango was asked to look at a bunch of demons and pick out which ones were which he would just call them all Demons.</p><p>“Rare or not, they’re incredibly powerful. They killed me. A Voidkind. In… three hits.”</p><p>“Well Voidkind aren’t meant to be in the Nether.” Tango growled, like, an actual growl reverberating through his words and the demon could feel himself bristle. His eyes widened and he looked up at Xisuma. “I- crap, I’m sorry X. I didn’t think this would be so stressful everyone seemed so cool about it-”</p><p>The Admin was unreadable. Voidkind weren’t much for faces other than their giant eyes and the teeth that sometimes just appeared out of the matter of their face. Essentially, they were impossible to read, and Tango didn’t know why he was even trying. Xisuma pushed himself away from the counter and stood around the center of the room, looking around the tiny building as if the answer was in the rafters. Seeing him consider the little house that stood for Tango’s life like that made the demon shut up pretty quick. Xisuma sighed and turned back to Tango with a terse smile. “Don’t apologize, Tango. It’s okay. I understand the feeling.”</p><p>Of course the man did, considering everything that had changed in his life in the past month. Tango was really hoping they could just have one, <em>one</em> year where everything didn’t fall apart in seconds.</p><p>“I need you to tell me everything you know about the Nether.” Said Xisuma. “Every creature every power every plant, <em>everything.</em> And then some rules are going to have to be in place about who can go in, and who can come out. If any of those <em>Rabid Demon</em> things try to come through a portal into the Overworld, we’re in big trouble.”</p><p>As Xisuma mentioned another demon trouncing into Tango’s territory, Tango growled again. Involuntary and low, lost under his breath and making his chest rumble. His eyes glowed fierce red and the Admin stepped back when he saw the hint of claws forming at Tango’s fingernails. “I’m not going to let any random old demon even <em>look</em> at Hermitcraft, I can promise you that, this is <em>my </em>family and they won’t <em>touch </em>any of you.” He hissed.</p><p>“Tango,” Frowned Xisuma, holding up his hands. “Take a deep breath.”</p><p>There was a deep scowl set to Tango’s face, the usually smiling man looking all sorts of displeased. Xisuma didn’t quite know what to do other than take a few steps back in the conversation. “Let me get a book and quill, and you can put that brain of yours to good use.”</p><p>Nodding, Tango didn’t move an inch from where he was. When he thought of another demon walking through<em> his</em> world, messing with <em>his</em> friends, touching<em> their</em> buildings and the shopping district and playing their games and wrecking the havoc he was so happy to wreck Tango felt like his <em>skin</em> was crawling. Tango would take to the Nether himself and fight any other demon he found if it meant they would get the message and leave Hermitcraft alone.</p><p>That’s a smart idea, he thought. He made a mental note to empty his inventory and go to the Nether once his meeting with Xisuma was done.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With Head Games coming to a close, PVP was all the more alive in Hermitcraft. Those drifting behind Grian and Scar in first place, aka Xisuma and Keralis plus she and Impulse, were scrambling to get the final heads they needed to make it to the top of the leaderboard. False and Impulse were planning to withhold all their points before the deadline and submit them last second so know one would be able to top them. It was a good plan, and False intended to slip into the Nether and fly over to Impulse’s ocean base to recount their stash.</p><p>So, as she crept towards her Nether portal, checking each step for a watching assassin or a tripwire, False made sure to very slowly rotate to check all her sides consistently. Her back facing the untrapped portal, False took the next step back expecting to be sucked into the roiling heat of the Nether, but instead she bumped into something.</p><p>With a sharp gasp, False drew her sword and prepared to bury it into the Hermit coming for her head. Instead, she just saw a sign.</p><p>
  <em>Hidy-Ho my fellow Hermits! By the decree of Me, Admin Grian, The Nether is closed until further notice! If you need anything shoot Xisuma or I a dm!</em>
</p><p>False scowled at the two very cheery signs blocking her entrance into the Nether. The portal was still humming before her, the eyes swirling as they stared. False knew she could knock down the signs and walk right in, but after the death message from the night before and how strange Tango was acting, she thought better of it. She fished out her communicator and decided to get a hold of Impulse that way.</p><p>
  <em>FalseSymmetry: Hey Impulse, wanna meet up somewhere to talk about Head Games? Nether is closed</em>
</p><p>
  <em>ImpulseSV: I’m working on my base if you wanna fly on over!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>FalseSymmetry: Be there asap</em>
</p><p>The woman flicked open her elytra and climbed on top of the hill of her starter base. A leap and a rocket later False soared through the sky, climbing and climbing until the trees wouldn’t be a problem. She dove towards Impulse’s base, seeing the large white towers rising out of the sea. Spotting a winged dot that had to be Impulse placing down rows of concrete, False changed the angle of her wings and gracefully glided to a stop next to the redstoner.</p><p>“Morning Impulse!” She chirped, reaching behind her to make sure her elytra folded properly.</p><p>The man in front of her subtly pushed a shulker of concrete towards her and smirked. “Morning. Care for some manual labor while we talk?”</p><p>“I’ll allow it.” Said False, pulling the top shell from the box and filling her arms with concrete. As she began to place it along the line Impulse was filling, she hummed. “Sorry it took so long to get here. Grian and Xisuma closed off all the Nether portals.”</p><p>“Gri caught me in my shop and told me. Bought all my dark prismarine, left a terrifying message, and left.” Impulse chuckled under his breath before jumping up on the elevated lip of the concrete to place more on a higher level. “His wings give him too much power.”</p><p>“Oh I agree. No one got him for Head Hunt because he just flew away! He’s a menace.” Laughed False, joining Impulse on the next step and handing him the concrete gathered in her arms. Impulse’s base really was coming together now that he was working on the second layer and False was more than excited to see the final result. “Our lovely Admins aside, Head Games!”</p><p>“Yeah,” Impulse said. He sounded out of it all of a sudden. He placed more concrete blocks.</p><p>“Are you alright Impulse?”</p><p>“Worried about Tango,” Replied the man. “Xisuma asked to meet with him earlier.”</p><p>“Well aren’t you two neighbors? Go talk to him.” False frowned, sitting down and motioning for Impulse to sit with her when he made no move to follow her instructions. Impulse sat heavily with a sigh and cradled his jaw in his hand, looking out over the ocean, able to spot the beginnings of the shopping district. False pat Impulse’s shoulder before copying his pose and watching the ocean until he was ready to talk.</p><p>“I just don’t know what’s going on with him.” Impulse admitted, scratching his jaw absentmindedly. False could tell from his expression he wasn’t all there, but if he was talking she was fine. Ducking his head, Impulse turned to False and tried for a smile. “Last time he disappeared he told me he was taking care of family problems. I knew he was a demon and all I just- it’s weird right? That there was an entire world we didn’t know about but he did. At least Xisuma never hid the fact that there was a Deep End, but Tango has been hiding the fact that there are… hundreds more demons out there for as long as I’ve known him! And if Xisuma and Grian have gone so far to <em>close off </em>the Nether I hardly think they’re friendly.”</p><p>“No, no, it is weird.” False agreed, because she didn’t know what else to say, and it was obvious that Impulse needed this chance to rant about what he had been mulling over the last few days.</p><p>“I know you saw it last night. He barely got out of his seat! It’s like he’s not even Tango.” Pouted Impulse. The redstoner shot up. “It’s like he’s not even Tango.”</p><p>“Impulse, Impulse <em>no</em>.” Said False, holding up her hands. “I’m sure there’s another explanation. We’re not doing another round of Time to Go Save Our Brainwashed Friend. You’re stressed and overthinking and I can guarantee Tango is too. That’s probably why he’s acting so strange- he’s worried he’s put us in danger and that we’re going to blame him.”</p><p>“Sounds like Tango.” Said Impulse miserably.</p><p>“It does.” Agreed False. “I really think you should just go to Tango and talk to him.”</p><p>Rubbing his face and ducking his head again, Impulse groaned. “Ach, sorry False. We were supposed to talk about Head Games.”</p><p>“Ah, shush.” False snorted, patting Impulse on the back and getting to her feet. “I just wanted to know how many heads you got. I can raid your chests and count myself; you go talk to your friend.”</p><p>With that, the business partners parted with a quick hug and the sound of rockets.</p><p>----------</p><p>“Do I know where demons come from? Noooo.” Groan Tango, rubbing his temples as Xisuma grilled him. They had spent the entire morning and most of the afternoon in Tango’s starter house to the point where Tango was back to laying on the floor, staring at the ceiling and contemplating his life choices.</p><p>“You’ve ought to!” Xisuma replied. “This demon could teleport. Is that a trait? Can you teleport?”</p><p>Tango turned to Xisuma and raised an eyebrow. “I wish.”</p><p>“Okay. Wrong question.” Xisuma frowned from where he sat in the center of the room, a melted blob of void watching Tango question life. “I’m just confused- you’re a demon. How do you know so little about demons?”</p><p>Shrugging while laying down felt strange, thought Tango as he shrugged on the floor. “Didn’t pay enough attention? I dunno. Listen man I know this is all a little crazy but if you just let me hop in the Nether, tell them to back off, they won’t bother us! Demons respect each other’s territory.”</p><p>“That’s not the point, Tango.” Xisuma laughed. “I need to know if this is safe for the other Hermits, not just you.”</p><p>“It will be if I hop down and give em a stink eye.”</p><p>The Admin sighed though he smiled, resting his head in the cradle of his hand as he watched Tango scowl at the ceiling. It looked like the demon couldn’t get comfortable, shifting and squirming and constantly repositioning his lips to give the ceiling a different frown like it would change the situation around him. He didn’t look as defensive as he did before, claws no longer growing on the end of his fingers, sharp teeth hidden behind human-looking lips.</p><p>“What’s going on in that crazy head of yours Tango?”</p><p>“I just- I’m confused!” The demon threw his hands up and let them smack against the wooden floors with a resounding <em>tunk </em>that must have hurt. “When the High Court made the decision to open the Deep Nether I was there. There was nothing about rabid demons or, or the people of Nether cities leaving their Fortresses!”</p><p>“There are active Fortresses?”</p><p>Tango covered his face. In his softest voice, he responded. “Maybe.”</p><p>“So there’s not just demons. There are wither skeletons. Alive wither skeletons?”</p><p>“Depends on where you go.” Tango squeaked.</p><p>Xisuma sat up fully, crossed his arms, and gave Tango his best glare. “You have to be honest with me Tango. Us Hermits are in danger and you’re currently on the front lines so you need to tell me what’s waiting for us down there so I and the other Hermits can prepare and protect ourselves.”</p><p>“I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell you everything.”</p><p>“And who would be stopping you?”</p><p>“The High Court.”</p><p>“What kind of power do they have over you?” Xisuma asked. He felt fear creeping up his spine now. He didn’t want to be wandering into another Amendments situation where there was a group of higher demons that could control Tango and make him turn on the Hermits. Xisuma realized then that if these people could get to Tango like the Amendments got to Grian, the demon would be easy to twist into whatever monster they wanted.</p><p>“I’m meant to be a member of the High Court.” Tango said quietly.</p><p>“What does that mean?” Xisuma replied, but Tango never got to answer because there was a sharp knock at the door.</p><p>Looking to Xisuma for permission to answer, Tango barely moved off the ground and simply raised an eyebrow. Xisuma gave him a small nod and Tango let his head crash into the wooden floor again. “Come in!”</p><p>“Tango buddy,” Said Zedaph as the man burst in with Impulse behind him. “oh yeah X- Tango! We are here to play some games.”</p><p>Tango sat up on his elbows. “Play some games? What kind of games?”</p><p>“Games!” Declared Zedaph.</p><p>“We were thinking of a build-off type of deal.” Impulse smiled.</p><p>“I’m in!” Tango grinned, heaving himself to his feet. He desperately needed an out of that conversation (interrogation) with Xisuma and his lovely Team ZIT had come and saved the day. Zedaph and Impulse brightened considerably and when Tango glanced at Xisuma, the Voidkind was wearing a smile too.</p><p>As Team ZIT peeled out on their elytras, Xisuma shut the door to Tango’s starter home messaged Grian. A few minutes later he was in the wrong jungle, looking at the strange cove that was Grian’s base, a bell blaring from the confines of the hobbit hole. Xisuma did not want to admit he yelped when one of the villagers said <em>hello </em>to him. Maybe making Grian an Admin wasn’t the best idea.</p><p>“Ex-iyai-zoo-mia!” Cheered Grian as the winged man swooped down and landed on top of his villager green house. His eyes widened as the obnoxious chime of bells and he ran inside, giggling about his mail box. The other Admin could only sigh and follow him into the tiny building, ducking through the small doors and squeezing into the confining space. Deep into the hill Grian stood before a chest wedged into a minecart, trying to shove both items off of the rail. When the wheels finally gave, the contents of the chest spilled out, revealing rockets and a few very shiny diamonds.</p><p>“Sorry!” Grian smiled sheepishly, stuffing the rockets into his bag and pocketing the diamonds. “What do you need me for?”</p><p>“It’s about our situation with the Nether. I think Tango knows more than he lets on.” Xisuma frowned. Grian stiffened at the sudden serious tone and picked up the minecart before carefully dragging it towards his chests lined up next to the tracks.</p><p>Once his hands were free, Grian turned to Xisuma and let his fluffing wings betray his nervousness. “Well of course he does, he’s from the Nether. The stuff we’re asking him is probably in the back of his brain and is just escaping him right now. You know how the mind likes to mess with ya.” The trickster smiled big like he always does. His fellow Admin didn’t realize how much he needed a smile until then.</p><p>“My main concern is that closing off the Nether until the foreseeable future won’t do much to help our situation.” Frowned Xisuma. “Tango is already asking to go down there by himself. Of course I trust him I’m just not sure if that’s the best idea right now.”</p><p>Grian didn’t really have anywhere comfortable to sit down and have a chat, so he leaned against the wall instead. “Maybe a small group of us go down when he isn’t around?”</p><p>“This is janky.” Xisuma groaned, rubbing his face. “I guess it’s our best plan. Just you and I first. Then, <em>then </em>we bring the other Hermits. Tango cannot know. You and I can go tonight once most the Hermits are asleep and we’ll disable our communicators so if either of us dies there will be no death message.”</p><p>“On an average how many times a day do you lie to us?” Grian asked lightheartedly.</p><p>Xisuma smirked and rolled his eyes, disappearing from Grian’s hobbit hole.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the moon took it’s perch in the sky, Xisuma and Grian were standing at the Nether portal in the shopping district. The air was sharp, filled with the heady scent of the rain waiting in the clouds above. The sky was black with these clouds, blocking out the light of the moon. And thanks to the idea to put the shopping district on a series of Mooshroom islands, there were no streetlamps and few shops were properly lit. The Voidkind of the two faded into the black behind him so well Grian found himself squinting.</p><p>“Ready?” Xisuma asked, checking his inventory one last time. Torches, flint and steel, a water bucket just in case, axes and pickaxes and three swords, two empty buckets, a pair of shears, enough food to last him and Grian two days, and some strength and regeneration potions. He himself was as ready as he could be, and Grian looked about the same. Since he could fit in armor, Grian was decked out in diamonds, a sword hanging on his left hip and one of each tool on his right. Xisuma couldn’t see what Grian had packed in the bag slung over his shoulder, but the Voidkind guessed it was something similar to what was stashed away in his.</p><p>Nodding, Grian grabbed the signs that blocked the Nether portal and began pulling them down, placing them on the ground. “As I’ll ever be!” He hopped into the swirling purple light of the portal and disappeared with a too-chipper wave.</p><p>Xisuma chuckled and picked the sign up. As he stepped into the purple light himself, he set the sign back in place before letting the magic overwhelm him and warp him away to the Nether. He emerged on the other side right next to Grian. They had gone through the bottom portal, so red netherack greeted them. Grian’s eyes went wide.</p><p>“This… had not changed so much when I was last here.” The winged man murmured.</p><p>“I know.” Xisuma frowned, stepped closer to the edge of the netherack and peered at the strange plants creeping ever so closer. “It’s moving and growing on it’s own.”</p><p>“So uuh… what’s the plan?” Grian asked, voice tight with the strange sense of awe.</p><p>“Take samples, avoid the demons.” Xisuma grunted. His wings began to buzz and he jumped off the lip of the netherack, landing on the strange blue grass below. Grian groaned under his breath and was quick to follow, landing as Xisuma crouched with his shears and began cutting through mushroom steps and blades of grass to tuck them away in his bag.</p><p>With Xisuma gardening, Grian took to guarding.</p><p>The man peered through the glowing trees, glowering at every plant that obstructed his view. What Grian knew as the Nether was an empty pit of weird red rock and lava and hot air that burned to breathe. There was nothing but the weird man-pig things that would fight you if you fought them and the shiny white quartz that he hadn’t used since concrete became a thing. Everyone knew the Nether was dangerous and only those with fire protection, elytra, and the quickest of pickaxes dared to risk resource missions for things like wither heads to get nether stars for beacons.</p><p>Looking at the dense forests, scared of what laid behind and inside of them, Grian realized that no one knew just how dangerous the Nether was but Tango.</p><p>Tango, who had seen all of this, and didn’t say a word.</p><p>“So… any poisonous juice coming out of those mushrooms ooor?” Grian asked, glancing over his shoulder at Xisuma for just a moment.</p><p>“No, they’re just regular mushrooms.” Xisuma relayed as he tucked them away. “Warped Fungi. Huh. And would you look at these vines!”</p><p>Xisuma ran deeper into the forest, happily taking cuts of each plant, scraping bark and sap from the trees, his bag steadily growing as his clippings came in plenty. He and Grian found themselves leaving the warped forest biome and entering a small crimson biome. Everything was red, from the sky to the grass, and Xisuma went back to his clippings as Grian checked the perimeter once more.</p><p>On the horizon, the red fog twisting between the trees turned instead turned blue. The grass fell away to an endless valley of what Grian knew as soulsand. He could hear the gentle cries of those trapped in the strange grit, but the man’s wings began to spread as the feathers fluffed up and his eyes landed on the giant ribcages stuck in the sand. The human flinched at the sound of Xisuma’s shears cutting a leaf off of a weeping vine and audibly gulped.</p><p>“Xisuma.” Whispered Grian. “Please tell me you know what’s big enough to leave bones that big.”</p><p>The Voidkind tucked the leaf away and drifted over, trampling the grass under his nebulous body. He loomed over Grian, bright red eyes piercing into the distance at the soulsand valley. “Oh dear me.” He whispered back. A ghast rounded the corner and let out a classic screech as it drifted over the dangerous terrain below. If one died on soulsand it would suck them up and keep their soul forever, so the constantly flying creatures evolved to drift over the dangerous stuff. Whatever these skeletons were had not been so fortunate. Grian and Xisuma both shuddered as they thought about the rest of the creatures skeletons that must have been hidden under the grit.</p><p>“Please tell me we’re not going there.” Grian said.</p><p>“At this point I feel like we have to.” Replied Xisuma.</p><p>The Voidkind’s wings buzzed and he slid into the air, carefully approaching the ghasts. The always-crying creatures were familiar enough, their cries of agony haunting nonetheless. With a whine Grian followed, flying up until the ceiling of the Nether was in sight before allowing himself to glide. He unslung the bow from his shoulder and prepared to fire back if the ghast tried to attack them.</p><p>“What is this place…” Breathed Xisuma, getting threatening close to the giant bones. “these poor creatures…”</p><p>“Do you think there’s more?” Grian asked, quite literally flying through the ribcage unencumbered. “Like, alive ones? There can’t be. It’s not possible. What would they even look like?”</p><p>“Let’s not ask questions until we know they have answers.” Replied Xisuma solemnly, keeping an eye on the ghast. He waved Grian closer to him and began flying towards the other side of what the codes identified as a Soulsand Valley, if there was an end to this terrifying place. “We just need to go deeper, try to find every biome we can, and avoid the demons.”</p><p>And so the two Admins soared through the Soulsand Valley. The ceiling shook occasionally, raining small pieces of the sand onto them. The cries of the souls trapped fell all the way to them, haunting and soft. As they passed the looming ghast it screeched, fire burning in it’s cavernous mouth before Grian let an arrow fly and watched it go down to become another soul of the sand. Two flaps he was back at Xisuma’s side, watching the other Admin observe their surroundings.</p><p>With a steep dive, Xisuma dragged his sword across the top of one of the exposed, giant ribcages. A slide of the bone curled at the blade and Xisuma pinched it off as he flew away from the taunting soil, tucking the artifact into his bag once more. He would have killed for a soil sample, but the voices sang to him the closer he flew and Xisuma knew getting close to the siren calls was not the best idea at the moment. He fluttered back to Grian, clasping his bag shut and peering into the blue mist for the end of the biome.</p><p>“How many things died here?” Asked Grian, haunted.</p><p>“Too many.” Replied Xisuma.</p><p>Silence, or as silent one could get in such a biome, relapsed and covered the two like the oppressive heat. Xisuma and Grian couldn’t decide if they were terrified of excited to see lava raining from the ceilings alongside strange grey rocks. Grian immediately recognized that it would be super cool for building, but that wasn’t the point.</p><p>The point was a lava lake that went on for ions laid at the end of the soulsand. More so, moving, red figures were standing <em>in </em>the lava.</p><p>“Do those look like the demons you saw?” Gulped Grian.</p><p>“Nothing the same.” Said Xisuma, cutting into a dive after saying, “Stay here.”</p><p>The giant form that was Xisuma dipped through the sky and drifted towards the strange things. They didn’t flee at his presence and didn’t run towards him. Closer, Xisuma saw no arms to bear claws, no talons on their feet, no giant teeth protruding from their mouths. They had what appeared to be flipped on the sides of their swollen bodies, mouths stretching across the front of said bodies. Because of this, they were stuck with a permanent smile, tiny eyes looking up at Xisuma curiously. Xisuma didn’t know how it was quite possible, but the creatures toddled along the surface of the lava like it was netherack.</p><p>Above, Grian called out. “Are the hostile!?”</p><p>“No!” Replied Xisuma, soaring away from the small group of creatures and flying back to Grian.</p><p>“We must be in the Deep Nether by now.” Said Grian. “There is no way the terrain changed this much and the mobs migrated into our territory so quickly.”</p><p>As the two flew over the lava lake stretching before them, they saw more and more of the strange creatures littered about as if they were sheep wandering over a plains biome. It was strange and quiet but at least there was no more cries of the lost souls. Xisuma checked his route, made sure to be flying straight, and closed his eyes to delve into some code. Searching through their coordinates, Xisuma swallowed.</p><p>“We’re not in the Deep Nether. We’re barely halfway through ours.”</p><p>“Oh.” Said Grian. “That’s not good.”</p><p>“It’s like a virus.” Agreed Xisuma. “Growing all on its own, eating up what came before it. I mean, at least we haven’t seen any more demons yet, but this is feels so… wrong. I’m just… uncomfortable.”</p><p>“I totally agree. My feathers won’t go down.”</p><p>And perhaps these instincts were serving the two right.</p><p>Xisuma managed to get a scraping of the strange grey stone that fell from the ceiling and pooled on the surface of the lava. At once it must have been a liquid, but now they were solid. Tucking the chips that fell away with a good strike of a pickaxe away, he ducked back towards Grian. The lava lake ended in the distance, revealing a small netherack beach that led into a steep cliff. Happy to get off their sore wings, Xisuma and Grian dived towards the empty shores.</p><p>“The Nether Wastes…” Murmured Xisuma after checking the biome tag.</p><p>“At least it looks sort of familiar.” Said Grian, looking at the Nether formations he had become accustomed with during his time on Hermitcraft. The sloping netherack, random lava pools and waterfalls, the weird jutting lips and cliffs and formations of land. Together, he and Xisuma began looking for the easiest way up the cliff, which wasn’t saying much.</p><p>They could have flied to the top of the cliff of course, but the Admin never did things the easy way, <em>and</em> their wings had been hurting from flying so long and would need to be in working condition long enough for the two to fly back home. After heaving themselves up the cliffside with nothing but pure wit and determination to guide them, the two stopped and took a break to eat some golden carrots and look at the sweltering lava lake sizzling before them.</p><p>It wasn’t as relaxing as it may have sounded, the Admins constantly glancing over their shoulders and making sure nothing was creeping up on them. The air was thick with the heat of the Nether and the tension trying to squash them. Once each of them had one or two carrots, they wordlessly climbed to their feet an faced the next cliff awaiting them. This cliff was even taller than the last, and as they squeezed themselves into a gap on the wall with enough nooks to place their feet and wedge their way up Xisuma was able to grab a quartz crystal from the wall and tuck it away for later examination. The further up the cranny them climbed, the quartz turned to something that looked a lot like gold, and Xisuma pocketed that too.</p><p>“Oh man, I really need me some climbing gloves.” Grian grunted, patting his hands clean of netherack dust against each other before reaching down and heaving Xisuma up, his small human hand engulfed by the clawed mass that was the Voidkind’s.</p><p>“Grian.” Swallowed Xisuma. Grian very slowly turned around and was then face-to-face with a very pig-looking thing with glowing yellow eyes and tusks a bit smaller than his hand.</p><p>It sniffed him. Grian did his best not to gag. It poked at his wings with a golden sword and Grian squeezed his eyes shut as his wings tucked tight against his back and began to quiver. The feathers, for the first time on this trip, laid flat. So flat it hurt, but Grian was desperate to make himself smaller as this potentially harmful mob examined him.</p><p>It moved on and began to grumble at Xisuma. There were more of the pig-looking things behind the first one, and entire pack even, most holding golden swords. One had a chestplate. A baby had boots. They looked wary of Grian and Xisuma and when Grian looked at the baby too long one snarled. Grian went to looking at the ceiling. The ceiling was much less scary. The one who had begun sniffing at Xisuma pushed at his bag, trying to look inside.</p><p>“Hey, hey hey hey!” Complained Xisuma. The pig-thing reached in and grabbed a lump of gold and threw a broken piece of brown stone into Xisuma’s hand in exchange before walking to it’s pack, waving it’s gold lump around. The other creatures began snorting and cheering, all reaching for the gold, before turning and walking away along the edge of the cliff. Clearing his throat, Xisuma shuffled to Grian’s side and watched the pack disappear down the slope. “Well, that was certainly strange.” He grunted, then looking to the crumbling piece of rock in his hand. There was… carvings in it.</p><p>A glance into the code later and Xisuma found it was called Ancient Debris. After seeing those giant bones, Xisuma supposed anything was possible.</p><p>“My turn.” Squeaked Grian. “Xisuma?”</p><p>“You won’t believe what I just found Grian look at this!” Cheered Xisuma, walking closer to his friend to show off the artifact.</p><p>“Shhht!” Grian hissed. Xisuma looked up. His eyes went wide.</p><p>Before them was a Nether Fortress.</p><p>Not the Nether Fortresses Xisuma and Grian had come to know, raiding for blaze rods and wither skulls and nether wart and treasure. This was much, much bigger. And there were many, many more residents standing along the walls, staring down at the two Admins.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Nether Fortress loomed over the pair, nether brick walls standing tall and imposing. Those walls were familiar, but the gold torrents were not. Before Grian met Mumbo, after he had escaped his permadeath world, in a weird nebulous time around Evo, Grian was simply a builder. He would hop world from world, build up brilliant things, and move on to the next.</p><p>This Nether Fortress looked a lot like the one he made.</p><p>Tall arches were carved into the wall, decorated by the strange crimson wood Xisuma had stolen samples of. Each torrent something weird that looked a lot like glowstone pressed into sporadically. On one side of the Fortress was a garden, another a giant podium made of nether brick and basalt and something else sort of… brown held a giant fire that Grian could feel from where he stood even though it was at least fifty meters away. The entire fortress was dripping with endless amounts of gold, shining almost blindingly bright against the already warm glare of the lava.</p><p>The walls in front of Xisuma and Grian were at least twenty feet tall. That meant the Hermits couldn’t see over them or see just how big the Fortress was behind the walls. Even worse, the guards standing above the Hermits looked very much like demons and held grins full of teeth that could tear right through a human.</p><p>The demons were decked out in golden armor, their helmets specially made like Tango’s to allow their wickedly curved, bright red horns to stab through. The five of them glowering at Xisuma and Grian looked humanoid enough, even if their eyes glowed bright red, and their skin seemed a little too orange to be healthy, and the teeth were incredibly unnerving. They glanced at each other before looking back to the two Hermits and disappearing with five identical <em>woosh woosh woosh woosh woosh</em></p><p>As if on instinct, Grian and Xisuma pressed their backs together and drew their weapons. Unfortunately, the purple eyes of a nether portal opened mid air before them, more and more blinking up in rapid succession before falling away and revealing five demons surrounding the two outsiders, all in unblemished armor, all with curved golden swords that looked sharp enough to behind someone in one swing.</p><p>“What do we do?” Hissed Grian.</p><p>Xisuma elbowed him and knocked the pocket where his replaced communicator was tucked away. Grian took a deep breath, trusted respawn, and shut his mouth until it physically hurt to clamp his lips any harder.</p><p>One of the demons opened its mouth, abyssal clicking and scratching coming from it’s throat in what must have been a language but sounded more or less like a broken growl. Both Xisuma and Grian could only blink as they white-knuckled their swords, both of them letting out sounds of alarm as the demons flawlessly disarmed them.</p><p>Two leaped at Grian, the larger of the pair grabbing Grian’s wrists and wrestling them behind his back. The human yelped and dropped his sword, struggling as it was pulled away from him and he was pushed into the ground. Something hot was wrapped around his wrists that felt a lot like rope, but rope doesn’t pulsate with heat, so not that. The demon that had tied his wrists together heaved him up and Grian’s eyes widened as he opened his wings, shoving the demon away with the force of it. The smaller one who had taken his sword snarled and lunged at Grian, tackling him to the ground and digging it’s claws into his wings. Grian cried out and tried to kick the demon away, but the one he had wing smacked was back with more of the weird rope that Grian recognized as the crimson vines Xisuma had found.</p><p>Three of the demons took of Xisuma because of his size. The Voidkind was awfully confused as to why they weren’t just taking him and Grian out like that one did before. Either way, Xisuma pulled out his teeth and showed off his claws and spread his wings and let the rumble of voidspeak roll out of him. The demons faltered for only a moment, snarling back and leaping on Xisuma, literally leaping on him. Xisuma was knocked over, letting himself absorb the impact and throwing it back at the demons with a radial blast. Xisuma flipped over and hissed at the demons hauling Grian to his feet. Unfortunately, this was a mistake, and the demons Xisuma had pushed away came flooding back, digging their claws into Xisuma’s nebulous form and tying him up extra tight with the crimson vines.</p><p>Thoroughly stuck, Grian and Xisuma were subjected to the nauseating feeling of being warped with Nether magic, but not by a portal. It was worse when you weren’t expecting it, and the feeling of being torn from where you were standing and reformed somewhere else was a lot hotter than usual. Xisuma, who always preferred cooler climates, felt like he was burning up from the inside.</p><p>The warping process took longer than usual too, but when the two earth-walkers opened their eyes next they were inside a throne room that made Grian’s skin crawl. It looked too familiar, too familiar, too familiar, he wanted to throw up, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the teleportation.</p><p>The room was dark all but the lava cascading down the walls. Trees grew between the falling streams of lava and glowed with them. Xisuma and Grian found themselves in the center of the square room, no demons at their sides but their hands and wings tied taunt to their bodies by the strange vines. And while the grand architecture and vaulted ceilings eerily reminded Grian of his days in the Deep End, there was not one throne at the top of a grand staircase like Speker was so fond of. Instead, the two Admins were facing a long table, twelve demons sitting on the other side, facing them.</p><p>“Well?” Asked the one in the center. Her golden hair was plaited in tight rings behind her arching black horns, heavy golden armor arching over her chest, held in place using black leather straps. The gold rounded to fit her shoulders rather perfectly was adorned with heavy spikes, shifting with her flawlessly as the demon reached out to the Admins, grinning with long sharp teeth that pressed her cheeks into her yellow eyes, using her clawed hand to beckon Xisuma and Grian over. “Take a seat, Little Gods.”</p><p>“Who are you?” Snarled Xisuma, because he was big and scary and wanted to know.</p><p>“Please, let us be civilized.” Purred the woman. Xisuma and Grian met each other’s eyes and shared a moment of doubt before the demon before them waved her hand and they both appeared in seats before her and the other eleven demons at the table. Now, the vines holding Xisuma and Grian still were also binding their hands and legs to the chairs. “I am Tavelia, Head of the High Court of the Nether. It has been brought to my attention that not only are you harbouring my son, but you and your subjects are encroaching on our land.”</p><p>“I- whoah- hold on- wait a minute- what!?” Grian gurgled, shaking his head. “Tango is your son? Wait- <em>your </em>land? What’s going on?”</p><p>“Grian, Grian,” Sighed Xisuma, trying to give his fellow Hermit the side eye without looking away from the numerous demons judging them. “Pardon our intrusion, I guess, ma’am, but the Nether we have inhabited for… a few months now changed basically overnight and I don’t understand how that translates it to being… yours…”</p><p>“The High Court sees over all of the Nether.” Said Tavelia as if it was a declaration. “The fact that you of the Overworld,” her eyes quite literally flashed as she glared at Xisuma. “and <em>The End</em> dare walk on our land is the greatest offence one can lay upon us. More so, having taken my son to that desolate realm, whisking him away year after year, <em>hiding </em>him from his mother-”</p><p>“Tavelia.” Said one of the demons sitting next to her. “Professionalism.”</p><p>The demon took a deep breath and shut her eyes. With a better look at the demons of the Nether, Xisuma considered that while they were humanoid, they were not human, unlike Tango. They had flat noses, taunt lips, and the very sharp features one would expect of a demon. Their skin was tinted too warm, red, orange, yellow. Noticing this, Xisuma had to wonder if Tango was this demon’s son like she said, or why he looked nothing like her other than the mess of golden hair.</p><p>“Tango is very willingly a Hermit. And we didn’t mean to offend you.” Frowned Grian. “I’ve explored the Nether for years, I’ve never met a demon, and I’m sure we can work out some sort of agreement-”</p><p>“Oh oh oh <em>oh, </em>Little God,” Tavelia giggled. “We have kept notice of your activities in the Nether ever since our adversaries here took interest in you.”</p><p>“Adversaries?” Asked Xisuma, catching how the demons glared at him.</p><p>“I’m- I’m sorry. You’ve been watching me?” Grian swallowed, feeling very, very uncomfortable as the ghost pains of being controlled strummed through his body.</p><p>Another demon spoke up. He had bright red hair that fell down his shoulders in waves, eyes to match, and his teeth were <em>filed</em> for some horrible reason. “The Nether and the End have always been at war. You <em>Voidkind </em>think so highly of yourselves, riding in your heavens, looking down at everything you see.”</p><p>“Pardon me for uh, being Voidkind, I guess, but I don’t hail from the End. I mean, I was born in the End, but I’m not- I don’t live- I don’t associate with other Voidkind.” Xisuma stuttered out.</p><p>“No, of course not.” Said the demon that had ended Tavelia’s rant. “You split your immortal body from your mortal body and were rivals for several years. After the winged one called Grian went missing at the hands of a rival Court of Voidkind you were forced to… rejoin, yes? You saved your lovely mortals from dying at the hands of other Voidkind, and that is when Tango made the choice to return to The Nether for the military conversion.”</p><p>Grian gulped. “The what?”</p><p>“How do you know these things?” Xisuma hissed, leaning forwards against the vines that bound him.</p><p>“Those of the Nether pride ourselves on knowledge.” Said Tavelia.</p><p>At this point, Xisuma and Grian wanted nothing more than to leave. This was confusing, scary, worrying, rather painful, and one terrible way to start an evening… it was still night when they returned home. Apparently, they weren’t allowed in the Nether anymore, and they had kidnapped Tango, and demons were all-knowing. Grian couldn’t understand how they knew so much about him and felt almost sick over the fact that they had be <em>watching </em>him like the Watchers had controlled him. Ironic. Yes. Xisuma, on the other hand, was incredibly interested even if he did feel threatened too. He didn’t know what was going on or what he could possibly do about it but he did know he wanted to learn as much as he could before he and Grian had to make a break for it.</p><p>“Now, Little Gods, we have entertained this meeting for far too long.” Tavelia scowled. “We would like to send a message to your little Hermits. We know you have magical communication boxes and would like to use one.”</p><p>“No.” Said Xisuma.</p><p>“Yeah, no way.” Huffed Grian.</p><p>The worst thing possible happened then.</p><p>The bright, glowing eyes of the demons seemed to twist in unison. Grian went ridged. He knew this magic and felt his stomach flip with fear, his breath picking up as his thoughts began to cloud. The vines around him fell away but Grian couldn’t escape, his body stiff and moving without his permission. Trapped inside his mind, the Admin could feel himself spin into a mindless panic as his shaking hands extracted the communicator from his pocket and handed it across the table.</p><p>The other Admin could see the fear in Grian’s eyes as the man moved and swayed, being controlled by the magic that had nearly killed his friends <em>again</em>. Tavelier smiled at the communicator in her clawed hands and began typing as Grian sunk back into his seat and vines began to curl around him again, trapping his wings and his hands and his legs, even as the man sat ram-rod straight. Xisuma took a deep breath and looked into the code he could reach. Something burned like relief in his chest as he saw that the pair were yet to enter the Deep Nether, though knowing this castle was built in Hermit territory was not comforting whatsoever.</p><p>He had to be quick, but Xisuma sliced through the vine around his wrist with a claw and lunged for the communicator. Once the precious iron box was tucked in his palm, Xisuma squeezed his eyes shut, grabbed the garbled code that was Grian as he was mind controlled, and teleported them both to spawn.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A little tw for a description of a wound. If it makes you uncomfortable stop reading at "...to examine the offending wing." and continue to read at "As Grian dragged himself into the land of the living..." :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Xisuma fell of the bed to the with a yelp while Grian fell to the right with a gasp.</p><p>The smaller of the pair rolled onto his stomach and dug his fingers into his hair, gasping for Overworld air like his life depended on it. He was shaking, hiccupping on his breaths as the throws of panic finished dragging their claws through his lungs. Hearing Grian in such distress, Xisuma bolted up from where he had fallen, leaned his body over the small bed with a disgruntled huff, and put a hand on Grian’s back in an attempt to pull the man out of his head. “Grian?”</p><p>Gasping, Grian pushed himself away from Xisuma with wild eyes that were wet with unshed tears. His palms scraped and sunk into the sand of the respawn island and at least being in the Overworld was grounding but for a split second Grian could of sworn the Voidkind in front of him was Speker, not Xisuma. He could feel himself quivering and know he looked like a wreck, but the shivering was shaking the last of controlling magic out of his aching muscles. Xisuma snapped his hand away, half-crouching on the bed as Grian took two deep breaths and curled his knees to his chest so he could pull on his hair again, groaning. “I’m, I’m fine, sorry, I just- just need a second.”</p><p>“Grian, it’s alright.” Xisuma frowned, sitting on the bed properly this time and looking down at Grian. “You go back to your base and get some sleep. I can take care of everything here.”</p><p>“No, no, it’s<em> fine</em>, I’m <em>fine</em>,” Grian was still gasping for air, but he was able to roll to his knees and begin to push himself up. He let out a small laugh and rubbed at his eyes as his head swam. “We have more important things to do. We need to, oh goodness, we need to talk to Tango, let’s go.”</p><p>Xisuma peered at the rising sun and scowled at Grian. He tossed the other Admin his communicator (Grian did not catch it) and typed into his.</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: Mumbo, mind coming to spawn?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>MumboJumbo: one sec lol</em>
</p><p>Moaning as he picked up the communicator and threw it on the bed next to Xisuma, Grian slumped back down into the sand and cradled his aching head. “Thanks, X.” He sighed, voice small. Xisuma ruffled his hair and the two sat in silence until the soft sound of rockets firing could be heard and the one and only Mumbo Jumbo face-planted into the water and pulled himself onto shore with an embarrassed laugh.</p><p>“Morning lads, what seems to be the issue?” Mumbo asked, taking in Grian’s appearance. Since he was still mostly human if you didn’t count the wings, it was still fairly simple to read Grian’s expressions and know what he was thinking. Xisuma on the other hand was impossible so Mumbo didn’t even try. He focus his energy on Grian and the man looked rough, eyes red and wet, hair tussled, bags darkening under his eyes. While Grian’s wings were folded behind his back Mumbo could have sworn he saw dried blood staining his tawny feathers. “Goodness me mate what happened to you?”</p><p>“Just get him home for me, will you?” Xisuma sighed, standing up from the bed. Grian pocketed his communicator and moved closer to Mumbo, giving him a tired smile. Xisuma left promptly after wishing the two Hermits a nice day, heading towards Toon Towers.</p><p>Grian gave Mumbo an awkward smile. “Got a boat on you? Not sure if I can fly right now.”</p><p>Walking around Grian and rummaging through the chest Joe left when they first entered this world, Mumbo was incredibly excited to find two boats still in the chest. He heaved one out, one which was just big enough for he and Grian, and pushed it towards the shore. “You never told me what happened to you, Gri. You alright?”</p><p>“Admin Duties.” Grian sighed, shuffling over to the boat and helping Mumbo push.</p><p>“Get in, I’m already soaked.” Mumbo snorted, waving his floppy wet jacket sleeves. Grian hopped over the lip of the boat and settled in the empty cranium. He tucked his wings close to himself and yawned, glaring at the offending sun trying to keep him awake. Mumbo gave the boat another hard shove, his shoes slipping in the sand and into the ocean water. Once the boat rocked, Mumbo jumped over the lip and picked up the paddles pinned to the side of the boat and began rowing towards the jungle. “What sort of Admin Duties involves you hurting your wing and ending up in spawn?”</p><p>“It’s not that bad, one sip of one of Joe’s disgusting potions and I’ll be fine.” Grian smiled.</p><p>He got a judgemental eyebrow raise in return, but Mumbo stayed blissfully quiet as he rowed the pair of them towards the jungle. The oars glided through the water rhythmically and the wind over the water was warm. Grian found himself drifting off as the sun warmed his skin and he breathed the sweet air of the Overworld. His elbow was perched on the lip of the boat, it and his jaw leaning precariously as he slumped further and further into sleep.</p><p>Mumbo laughed under his breath as the boat tucked itself into the beach of Grian’s hobbit hole since no river could reach the floating mass that was his mansion. Hopping out of the boat, Mumbo found himself knee-deep in warm jungle water, which was a less than pleasant feeling, and he dragged the boat onto land as gently as he could so he wouldn’t wake his friend. Reaching into the boat, Mumbo awkwardly picked Grian up and wobbled down the path into the hobbit hole. It took longer than it should have, carrying someone with wings is <em>hard</em>.</p><p>The bed wasn’t far, even if the stairs were a pain. Mumbo set Grian down and the Admin blinked at him, stuck in the awkward state between awake and asleep. Grian groaned and stretched out, spreading his wings out from under himself before recoiling them with a pained hiss. With that, Grian was awake again, and Mumbo crouched next to him to examine the offending wing.</p><p>Four gouge marks were in the center of Grian’s right wing. Natural regeneration had healed them for the most part, but the once delicate feathers were shredded and knotted with dried blood. Worst thing was that the wounds looked… somewhat cauterized.</p><p>As Grian dragged himself into the land of the living, Mumbo left the bedroom to search through Grian’s chest. He found a disturbing number of bird heads that were yet to be turned over to Cleo, the chests Mumbo put so much hope in now terribly unorganized (luckily not as bad as last year), and a strange combination of potions that Grian had no business needing. Like, realistically, who used speed potions? Mumbo shook his head and laughed under his breath as he grabbed a handful of golden carrots and a half-used potion of healing.</p><p>When he re-entered Grian’s room he saw the man wiggling out of his diamond armor. Grian threw the chestplate to the side and kicked off the boots, unhooking his hilt and tossing it away with a resounding clang. He gave Mumbo a grin from the bed, one wing tucked neatly behind him, the other stretched out in a twitchy heap of upset feathers.</p><p>Mumbo tried to smile back. “I uh, I come bearing gifts.”</p><p>“You rifled through<em> my</em> chests and are calling them <em>gifts</em>?” Squawked Grian, making the pair laugh as Mumbo handed over the food and drink. Grian happily chewed on a carrot before downing the rest of the potion left in the bottle, hissing as his wing began to burn and stich itself back together. Grian decided to lay down and whine as Mumbo snorted at him and put the dented armor on the stand nearby.</p><p>“Are you sure you’re alright mate? You know you can tell me anything.” Mumbo scowled as he stood. Grian’s head lolled to face Mumbo, frowning at the man in front of him. As much as the Admin loved his mustached friend, Mumbo was always a reminder of what Grian did to the Hermits while under the control of the Amendments. His stupid suit and tie covered the long, pink scar on his neck but even if Grian’s hands weren’t infected by the void magic anymore Grian could vividly remember his claws being what could have killed his best friend. Mumbo frowned back. “Gri.”</p><p>“I…” Grian turned away and covered his face with a conflicted whine. He hated this. He hated this. “You can’t tell X I told you.”</p><p>“Even if I did I don’t think he’d mind.” Mumbo chuckled. “We both know I’m pants at keeping secrets. I’m just worried about you dude.”</p><p>“Xisuma and I went to scout the Nether.” Said Grian. He raised his rapidly healing wing. “The demons that lived there didn’t really like it. They said they had been… <em>watching </em>me. And that we has ‘stolen’ Tango and trespassed on their land. There was like, a Queen or something, and she says Tango is her son.”</p><p>Mumbo blinked. He blinked again. He shook his head and blinked a few more times. “What?”</p><p>“Yeah. That’s how I felt.”</p><p>Sauntering over to the bed, Mumbo sat by Grian’s legs and hunched over himself with a sigh. When he glanced at Grian’s face he saw the Admin staring at the ceiling, jaw set and eyes looking lost. Mumbo nudged Grian and tried to give him a smile again. “I mean, it’ll be alright. With you and Xisuma we’re safer than ever. Unless Tango decides to go bananas and kill us all, I don’t see why there would be an issue.”</p><p>“That’s the thing though!” Grian complained, sitting up. “They got me <em>and </em>Xisuma. The Nether looks do different dude I barely recognized it! There’s <em>trees</em>. We saw these giant ribcages that I could fly through man it was wild. And the only reason we got out of there was because Xisuma cut through the vine rope things holding us, grabbed me, and teleported us here. I think they would have killed us otherwise, and from the look of things demons are like Voidkind. If they kill you, you’re dead for real.”</p><p>“Nah,” Said Mumbo. “Tango hasn’t killed anyone!”</p><p>“Because he isn’t in Head Games.” Said Grian. The Admin’s eyes widened. “Tango refuses to participate in PVP.”</p><p>“I- well, hold on-” Stuttered Mumbo. “If being anything other than mortal means you can permadeath someone, what about X? He’s still in Head Games.”</p><p>“He’s, he’s an Admin. When we were double checking the respawn mechanics for Head Games he could have changed his code like that.” Grian snapped his fingers for emphasis. “He wouldn’t have thought to dive too deep into Tango’s since we already knew he wasn’t participating. What if Tango refuses to do stuff like Ren’s wrestling match and all that because he knows if he kills someone they’re dead?”</p><p>“The Prank War!” Mumbo added, flabbergasted. “He participated in that.”</p><p>“Not in PVP!” Grian cried again. “He did all the redstone for the G-Team! I don’t think he ever actually fought anyone, he just controlled the cannons and arrows and stuff!”</p><p>“This is pants!” Said Mumbo.</p><p>“I need to talk to X. I gotta go find him.” Grian grunted, pulling himself out of bed. He ruffled his wings as he moved towards the door, hissing as his recently healed one twinged. Mumbo shot up too, grabbing Grian’s wrist and pulling the man back towards his bed.</p><p>“Grian, I’m gonna be honest with you dude, you are in no condition to go Xisuma hunting. You haven’t slept and you’re injured. Lay down and take a break for once.”</p><p>The Admin pouted but obeyed, begrudgingly curling up in bed. He gave Mumbo a pointed look as the wrestled the soft blanket over his shoulders. “If anything happens you better come wake me up Mr. Mumbolio.” He grumbled, shoving his head into the pillow to make a point.</p><p>Mumbo laughed and nodded. “I promise. Get some rest dude.”</p><p>Leaving Grian to sleep, Mumbo decided he would return the boat to spawn before going back to his base and getting a not-soaking suit since there was only one more boat left at spawn and he was sure with the Nether closed more and more people would need boats. Wait- Elytras. Elytras were a thing. Mumbo looked at the boat and grumbled because hey, he’d do it later, and went back into Grian’s hobbit hole to head home through the tunnel connecting their starter bases.</p><p>After the Amendments made their appearance, Mumbo was finding himself finding Grian scared more and more often. The redstoner would be putting the resources from a day’s work away and Grian would appear in the door of the tunnel asking if Mumbo could stay awake for another hour or so to allow them to talk. He flinched at loud sounds and zoned out to a point Mumbo was getting concerned for his friend. When Grian was staring at his neck just a few minutes earlier Mumbo could have sworn he felt the scar begin to burn. It was obvious something had to be done to help Grian get out of his head, and dealing with this Nether business was surely not the way to do it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter Seven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After leaving Grian in Mumbo’s capable yet spoonish hands, Xisuma flew towards Toon Towers. He knew Tango wouldn’t be excited to see him again after their fruitless talk the day before but Xisuma reasoned with himself that it was important and he had too many questions to wait for a better time. The Voidkind wasn’t upset with Tango (yet), but he certainly couldn’t pretend like he hadn’t just heard that his friend had been lying to him and the rest of the Hermits about his heritage and homeland for the over five years.</p><p>Upon flying up to Toon Towers, Xisuma was not at all prepared to see creepers being shot out of a building that had a face and landing hundreds of feet below, dying on impact and dropping their precious resources. Xisuma hovered around the strange contraption, the big green splat drawn on a concrete platform below, and heard the distant sounds of clattering. Xisuma let himself drift down to the land a good distance from the weird landing platform to prevent the creepers getting any smart ideas.</p><p>If that was possible, Xisuma didn’t know, but better safe than sorry.</p><p>Now on the ground, it was much easier to spot the hole in the a few feet away that stood about ten feet away from the cartoonish splat. <em>I guess that’s the point,</em> thought Xisuma. He walked over and saw the hole entered a tunnel that led under the splat and glowed with the red light of redstone and sparse torches. “Uh, Tango my friend?”</p><p>“Down here!” Echoed Tango’s voice. He dragged himself out of the tunnel and gave Xisuma a fanged grin. “What brings ya to Toon Towers, best place on earth?”</p><p>How was Xisuma meant to approach this? Be outright? Keep it down low? Be kind? Harsh? Xisuma really didn’t know, because this was every kind of awkward, and now Tango was looking at his expectantly and Xisuma really should have planned this better. The second Xisuma thought to be sharp with his questioning he knew it was a bad idea and he should be respectful and try to keep his cool. The knapsack on his shoulder was still heavy with the stolen items of the Nether Xisuma needed to examine. Some answers were more important than others and Xisuma just had to dive in and say the first thing on his mind because it would be less awkward if he didn’t think about it before speaking and-</p><p>“Grian and I met your mom.”</p><p>Tango gagged on his spit and spent the next thirty seconds coughing and heaving, looking up at Xisuma with his face screwed up in confusion. “I- hold on- X, what!?”</p><p>“Grian and I went to the Nether last night.” Xisuma opened his bag and showed Tango the neatly organized clippings and scrapings of the Nether life (and not life) to prove his statement. “We found a Nether Fortress. Met the High Court and a woman who called herself Taveila. She said we had taken you from her. That we were trespassing on Nether territory. She used this weird magic on Grian and freaked him out and I’m pretty sure she was about to kill us if I hadn’t used some Admin magic to get us out of there.”</p><p>“Listen, X,” Tango chuckled, dusting himself off and accidentally smearing some mud across his cheek. “this is all just, it’s not that big of a deal. I maaay have left out a few details-”</p><p>“A<em> few</em>?” Asked Xisuma. He sucked in a deep breath, trying to keep his cool, and the Admin looked to the sky before looking back at Tango’s guilty face. “Grian and I almost died, Tango. Your mother, or whatever you want to call her, almost killed us. She has magic like the Amendments and she is very upset with us for taking you, because apparently we’ve stolen you away?”</p><p>“Demons are very territorial and when someone of their clan leaves it is a great offense-”</p><p>“Don’t you think that would be something for the Admins tasked in protecting you to know!?” Xisuma roared, stepping closer to Tango. The demon stood his ground and swallowed; his head craned to keep the eye contact shared between both of the red-eyed men.</p><p>“Xisuma,” Tango said, voice small. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>The Admin frowned at his friend and drooped considerably. Definitely should have planned ahead of time. “This time we seriously have to talk. You can’t respond to every question with ‘I don’t know’.” He grumbled, but at least Tango nodded.</p><p>“You know what, fair. Very fair.”</p><p>“Come with me to my base and we’ll chat there.” Said Xisuma, already kicking his wings into gear.</p><p>That was immediately a red flag for Tango. Impulse and Zedaph wouldn’t be able to come save him. Tango couldn’t run if he heard a machine blow up or an iron golem fight his ravagers. Xisuma would be in his turf with his things prepared and it wasn’t that Tango was scared per say… just… nervous.</p><p>Either way, he hopped back into his hole under the target where he was working on a collection system and threw most of his inventory inside. He kept a healthy number of rockets on him and jumped into the air with his elytra tied on tight, kicking off and following Xisuma into the sky. Flying with rockets next to some with wings, uncontrolled and controlled, was always kind of jerky. With wings you could fly at a steady speed, but when you were using rockets you were constantly slowing down unless you wasted about a stack of rockets by pulling the string on one every second.</p><p>Tango did his best to glide at Xisuma’s side even if the rockets didn’t want him to. The flight was silent, which was even more unnerving, but it was a short flight to Xisuma’s hidden masterpiece. Now that he thought about it, Tango hadn’t seen Xisuma’s new base, and it was pretty impressive from the outside.</p><p>Holes in the wall marked with yellow and black were strategically placed places to soar into the building and drift down into the unfinished interior. After making sure Tango had gotten inside with him and was working on gracefully landing on the gliders that were elytra, Xisuma began walking towards what most called his brewing station, but the Admin long ago learned that the brewing stand could be used for more magic than potions (thank the villager clerics for showing him that one).</p><p>Considering he more or less glided over the surfaces he walked over, Xisuma realized he had never heard someone walk through this part of his base, the echo of Tango’s sharp steps filling the large room as the Admin set his pack on the table next to a small array of brewing stands. Tango shifted foot to foot, not sure where to stand or what to do or how he was meant to go about this.</p><p>For the grace of something above them all, Xisuma spoke first. “I apologize for snapping at you.”</p><p>“Nah, it’s alright,” Said Tango, rubbing his arm nervously in a way that was very Not Alright. “You’re right. I should have been more truthful with you guys and holding back information like that wasn’t cool of me.”</p><p>With a sigh, Xisuma slid a blaze rod into the slot of the brewer and watched as the machine kicked to life, growling as the glass bottles of water attached to the three pipes began to bubble rapidly and steam tried to back up through the machine. Tango leaned on the counter as Xisuma prepped three mundane potions. Xisuma opened the bag he had been carrying for the last twelve hours and pulling out weeping vines, frowning at the blue tangle in his hand, carefully pulling one vine from the others and feeding it into the brewer.</p><p>“There’s some things here that I can find the composition of with stuff like a brewing stand or the crafting table, but there are also some things that I’m going to need your brain for.” Said Xisuma as he began emptying the bags contents and sorting them into neat rows. He had bottled the bone fragments and tossed them to Tango, raising an eyebrow in Voidkind standards. “Grian and I saw ribcages four times the size of me. What are they?”</p><p>“Uh, no one really knows.” Said Tango, carefully putting the bottle down. “And I’m being serious here! Their bones just kind of… show up. Only in the Soulsand Valley though. It’s like… the sand sinks away and these big bones are left. There’s this old wife’s tale of a group of workers being sent to dig through the soulsand to find the creatures living underneath it, because where else would the bones come from, but even with Soul Strider on their armor all the workers died. It’s meant to keep kids away from the valleys.”</p><p>“Soul Strider?” Asked Xisuma.</p><p>“Oh, yeah,” Tango said. He looked around for something he could use to show Xisuma and his eyes lit up as he grabbed the chunk of ancient debris. “Add some gold to this stuff and you can get armor better than diamond. It’s crazy good. And if you give some piglins gold they’ll hand over Soul Strider enchanted books that you can put on boots so you can walk across soulsand without getting your soul sucked.”</p><p>As the brewer let out a loud hiss and the bottles were stoppered and pulled loose from the pipes, Xisuma was able to examine the bluish potions in front of him. “Piglins? Interesting name.” He said as he opened the potion and took a whiff. He knew better than to drink any potion willy-nilly and would have to find a way to test it ethically later as he screwed more glass bottles into the brewing stand.</p><p>“Yeah! They’re super weird. Like Nether villagers just- dumber. They trade, but only gold. And if you try to steal from them- you’re done.” Explained Tango. “They like you more in golden armor though. I think it relaxes them. They’re what one would call an ‘evasive’ species though. I’m sure by now they’re wiped out any zombie pigman they could find. The two are pretty similar so I doubt you’ll see a change.”</p><p>“You were talking about armor better than diamond?”</p><p>“Netherite armor!” Grinned Tango. “It’s super cool. Impossible to get though. Ancient debris is super rare because- well- it’s ancient, and then you have to get the gold and make the actual armor. It’s near invincible I guess.”</p><p>“Good to know,” Said Xisuma ominously, because he had to. The brewer hissed as the potions brewed from crimson vines finished, dark red like dried blood. “I know this is a touchy subject for you, but do you think that you could share more about the High Court with me?”</p><p>Tango shifted foot from foot again, looking anywhere but Xisuma as he put the ancient debris down and turned away. “I… it’s essentially a group of really old demons who make all the rules and stuff. They get re-elected every year ‘cause people are too scared to deny them. Super controlling, super scary, just everything you don’t wanna see. My mom always wanted to use me to knock one of the councilmen she disagrees with a lot out, me being her son and all, she’d say I’d be elected real quick and we’d have all the power in the world. She’s head council, all kinda<em> braaagh</em> and scary and stuff.”</p><p>“I guessed.” Said Xisuma.</p><p>“Right.” Tango frowned. “Anyways, uh, I said no. That life’s not for me! I’d rather hang with you guys. I think mortal life is like waay a thousand more times interesting then immortal life, it’s so repetitive and <em>boring</em>, but being a Hermit, there’s always a new challenge! A new shop, a new prank, a new event! I love being a Hermit.”</p><p>Turning away from his potions, Xisuma tilted his head at Tango. “How old are you, Tango?”</p><p>This got him a nervous laugh, Tango dragging his clawed hand through his hair and looking away like he didn’t really want to share. “Uuuh, would you believe me if I said I didn’t know? I stopped counting after, like, <em>two hundred</em>.”</p><p>“I’m sorry Tango.” Xisuma said quietly.</p><p>“Yeah,” Choked out Tango. Being immortal was exactly how Tango described it, boring. Worse, it was lonely. When Tango first came to the Hermits, he spent one day with the mortals before disappearing for awhile to cope with the fact <em>he had just met mortals</em>. People who <em>die</em>. But once he came back, the demon stayed. Meeting people like Team ZIT, like Xisuma, that’s why Tango stayed among mortals. “It’s quiet the predicament I’ve found myself in.”</p><p>Respawn could save you from just about anything life could throw at you. But once life had nothing left to throw and your body was withering, respawn can only keep you sustained for so long. It was probably the one thing Admin magic couldn’t do: stop aging.</p><p>At that point, Xisuma didn’t know if he himself was immortal or mortal. He didn’t really want to find out considering both options had their downsides. He was immortal before the split, and then Ex was entirely immortal, and he was entirely mortal, but Xisuma had a lot of questions about what he was after he and Ex became one again. It had been a rough few months, okay?</p><p>Reloading the brewer with one of the new mushrooms, Xisuma looked at the strangely coloured bottles in front of him and then turned to his friend. He still had a lot more questions, most that only Tango could answer, but the man had said enough for today. They had breeched a touchy topic and Xisuma didn’t want to push any further no matter how important he knew it to be. Unfortunately, while working as an Admin you have to think of the group, not just one person. “Tango. What would you say your mum would do to get you back in the Nether forever?”</p><p>“Oh, geez.” Whispered Tango. He looked both like he had never thought of it and he thought about it way too much. “Anything, X.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter Eight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The two stood in silence as Xisuma mulled over what that had meant.</p><p>The only sounds bouncing through the room were that of the brewer hissing and grunting as the blaze rod tore through the crimson mushroom and boiled it down to a potion element. Xisuma watched as the fiery liquid flow into the mundane potions within the bottles, the cloud twisting and mixing. The mundane potion let out a high squeak as steam filled the brewer and escaped from whatever crevice was available. Tango flinched and Xisuma tore the bottles out of the machine, a heavy puff of dark red smoke streaming from the three pipes as the Admin stoppered the deep purple bottles by hand.</p><p>They smelled sharp and heady all the same time and it made Tango sway. He squeezed his eyes shut as his heart began to thunder from the interrogation, it was the interrogation doing that.</p><p>“I mean, I don’t think she’d be stupid enough to bring like, a <em>war</em> or something <em>crazy</em> into the Overworld I wouldn’t worry abou’d it!” Trying for a laugh, Tango shuffled and fell quiet. “It’s fine, I mean, I’ve told her! To her face! That I love being a Hermit. She’ll respect my decision, she loves me!”</p><p>“She loves you too much.” Xisuma sighed, packing up the rest of the Nether clippings. He would explore them later. “She said that Grian and I stole you from her. I don’t think she understands you’re here willingly.”</p><p>“I’ve visited!” Tango snorted, like he couldn’t believe what Xisuma was saying. “I’ve gone down twice in like the past year! I stayed like- I don’t even know how many months! If you guys were… <em>forcing </em>me to stay in the Overworld, that wouldn’t have happened. She’s just a big protective momma bear: we’ll be <em>fine</em>.”</p><p>“I think… just until whatever is going on in the Nether settles down, you should avoid Nether portals. And the Nether. And… this…” Said Xisuma, gesturing towards his brewing stand and bag full of Nether clippings. It was hard to bar Tango off from something not only important to him, but the Hermits as a form of travel. But, with the group’s current situation, Xisuma had to admit to himself it was probably the best choice if Tango stayed in the Overworld, away from anything that his mother could use against him. When the Admin gave Tango a side glance to gauge the demon’s reaction, Tango didn’t really have one, and Xisuma’s voice went into a squeak. “Just for a little bit?”</p><p>Tango nodded a little and took a deep breath, snorting as he pushed himself away from counter. “No. You’re right. Can I get back to work?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Xisuma gave Tango a small smile. “The creeper farm is absolute bananas, by the way.”</p><p>“Good bananas, I hope.” Chuckled Tango, kicking off in his elytra and rocketing towards the flight windows of Xisuma’s towers.</p><p>The Admin looked around his empty base and sighed. It had been a long day and a half and now that he was alone Xisuma was letting himself sway with the exhaustion that was falling on him in waves. And because of that, Xisuma wandered to the random bed in the middle of the hallway he had left there a few days before and collapsed.</p><p>Xisuma got a well-deserved rest.</p><p>----------</p><p>Soaring back to Toon Towers, Tango felt stiff. He wasn’t sure what to do with the information he shared and Xisuma relayed back to him. No matter how he was feeling, as he drifted home he saw a dot that was not a creeper on the landing platform of his creeper farm. Instead, it was Impulse, laughing and jumping across the platform as Tango swung down and landed next to him.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Tango smiled, flicking back his wings and smoothing down his wind-brushed hair. “I mean- won’t say I’m not happy to see you but a man likes his creeper farm human free!”</p><p>Impulse laughed right back, peering up at the slime blocks shooting the creepers from the weird building-cannon-barrels. “What is this thing!?” Impulse grinned over the crash of pistons and sound of dozens of falling creepers.</p><p>They both ran off of the landing platform giggling at each other and jumped onto the grass around it instead, Impulse looking at the backside of Toon Towers with a crooked grin that made all the annoying stuff plaguing Tango feel a lot less annoying. Impulse put his hands on his hips and leaned back to take the place in all the more. “This is… wow. Crazy, man, crazy.”</p><p>“I mean, yeah! It’s only half-finished and uuuh…” Tango snickered at the teetering supports. “The front looks great and then back is just… oh, it’s going so good.”</p><p>“Well that’s part of the reason I’m here!” Impulse said. He held up a handful of rockets to Tango and kicked off his elytra, soaring into the sky towards the front of Toon Towers. Tango snorted and kicked off too, flying behind Impulse as his fellow redstoner cut through the sky and twisted through the air to glide towards the giant signs and take in the group of buildings from the best view. Chasing him the best he could, Tango tugged at his elytra and twisted around to look at the glory that was the front of his base. Impulse smiled as he rocketed towards the signs and slowly opening his wings to get a proper view just to call out over the wind, “So you need a lot of concrete for this place huh?”</p><p>“Oh yeah, that’s my whole palate.” Replied Tango as the two spiraled down the earth.</p><p>“Turns out I’ll be needing a ton of concrete too.” Said Impulse, quirking an eyebrow.</p><p>Tango smirked right back. “Oh-ho-kay… I think I see where this is going…”</p><p>“I was thinking if we really put our brains together, we could make something awesome!” Impulse grinned, reaching into his bag and showing Tango the rather… sparse redstone supplies he brought. “I mean, and since your base is closer…”</p><p>“Uh-huh, okay, <em>yeah</em>,” Said Tango, rubbing his chin. “you know- I’m loving this, sounds great, small problem. I have never built a concrete maker before.”</p><p>“Oh. That puts a wrench in things.” Impulse murmured, scratching the top of his head. “I haven’t either.”</p><p>“Mumbo made one with Iskall last season, right?” Said Tango. “For Sahara! Maybe if we asked one of them for their old blueprints, we could make some adjustments here and there and boom! Concrete maker, Impulse and Tango are rich.”</p><p>“Race you.” Impulse said, kicking off and firing himself into the sky.</p><p>Laughing, Tango had no choice but to follow. The pair soared over the seas and past the shopping district, travelling towards the forest which hid the Architechs. Tango jumped on Impulse’s back with a laugh, sending them both plummeting towards the sea for a moment before peaking back into the sky separately. Now behind him, Impulse yanked on Tango’s ankle and tried to get in front of him again. The spun around each other, laughing and fighting until Tango scraped the upper canopy of a jungle tree, screeched and grabbed Impulse’s ankle, and send the both of them plummeting towards the forest floor.</p><p>Sprawled on the ground, leaves sticking from their hair and sticks and rocks digging into their ribs, the two were laughing. They were tangled together and didn’t bother trying to get up as they let themselves laugh. And then, a very mustached man was leaning over them with a confused grin.</p><p>“What in goodness sake are you doing?”</p><p>“Ah! Mumbo!” Tango grinned right back. He sat up, which made Impulse groan, because he most certainly did not kick him in the leg by doing that. “Just the man we’re looking for!”</p><p>“See I’m scared now.” Mumbo snorted, helping Tango to his feet. While Tango gave Impulse a hand, Mumbo walked back towards one of the structures of his base to fill it with iron and concrete. Impulse and Tango dusted themselves off before bounding after him with twin mischievous chuckles. Mumbo was trying not to think about the conversation he had with Grian earlier.</p><p>“There is no reason to fear,” Tango promised.</p><p>Impulse smacked Mumbo on the back as the man loaded his arms up with concrete, making him drop it. “We came for nothing but your redstone capabilities!”</p><p>Giving up on trying to keep building, Mumbo chuckled. “And what do you need exactly?”</p><p>“A concrete maker!” Tango said, spreading his arms wide. “A big one! Like the one you and Iskall had in Saharah!”</p><p>“Oh! Well, I’m actually gearing up to make one of my own so-”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah yeah yeah, Mumbo Mumbo Mumbo, you know I love you,” Tango smiled, tilting his head at the redstoner. “Impulse and I are going to be making a <em>lot</em> of concrete if you know what I mean. You should probably show us how to make one so we don’t blow yours up.”</p><p>“Can’t argue with that, can I?” Mumbo smiled, happily leading Impulse and Tango to the front of his hobbit hole. With the help of the supply’s stuffed in Impulse’s bag and his and Tango’s overexcited hopping and cheering and nodding at everything Mumbo said. Even when he paused because <em>I know I’m forgetting something- something goes here!</em> Or the TNT wasn’t released fast enough and tore through the redstone they had just spent quite a few hours building, Tango and Impulse smiled wide and took notes.</p><p>“You know Mumbo, you’re the spoon of the server, and we love you, but you seem a little out of it today.” Impulse chuckled, patting Mumbo on the back as he flipped the switch and Tango began placing concrete with cheers of <em>it’s working! It’s working? Mwahahahahah!</em></p><p>“Oh, yeah, sorry about that.” Mumbo gave Impulse a sheepish smile. “I’m just worried about Grian.”</p><p>“What’s got you concerned? I mean, he’s certainly kicking around if my guardian shop has anything to say about it.” Impulse said, elbowing Mumbo in the ribs in the hopes to get a laugh out of the taller man.</p><p>“Uh,” Mumbo eyed Tango where the demon was still placing concrete, still laughing about how easy it would be to finish Toon Towers like this, and the redstoner leaned closer to Impulse. “He was in the Nether last night. Came out a wee bit worse for wear and is… not doing the best a man could at the moment. Not sleeping, and all.”</p><p>“What happened?”</p><p>“Well… a demon slashed through one of his wings so bad I had to row Grian from spawn to here to find him a healing potion.” Said Mumbo. “He was really scared though. More scared then a cut to the wing should do and he said he couldn’t tell me everything so I know there’s something more going on with him. I understand he wants to protect us and all that but I really wish he would let me know if he’s in trouble, right? That’s not crazy?”</p><p>“No man!” Agreed Impulse. “I-… If Tango was hurting, I’d want him to tell me.”</p><p>What the two across the machine didn’t know was the roar of pistons and rattle of dispensers and explosions of TNT weren’t enough to completely silence their discussion a few feet away. Once Tango had stopped shouting about the majesty of the concrete maker, he could hear everything they were saying. All the demon could think about was <em>who hurt Grian? How bad was it really? </em>Tango wished he could have seen it so he knew what he was up against. What really hurt, though, was hearing Impulse’s response to Mumbo’s concerns. He was angry that Impulse wouldn’t just say it to his face.</p><p>What could Tango say?</p><p>He felt terrible for bringing a war to the Hermit’s doorstep, the second one within the month?</p><p>He felt useless in the fight, so stuck in the middle?</p><p>Taking himself down to the Nether despite everything Xisuma told him was sounding like Tango’s and the Hermit’s best option at that point?</p><p>And why are the two mortals who don’t know <em>anything</em> about the Nether talking about it,</p><p>Confrontation was not Tango’s thing. He could pull pranks and start wars and annoy his neighbors and do crazy things that had people questioning his sanity but Tango struggled with saying <em>This</em> is what I want and <em>This</em> is what I’m going to do and <em>This</em> is important to me so you have to do <em>This</em>. He couldn’t go up to one of his best friends and just smile and say that the world was ending and it was kind of his fault this time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter Nine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the next day in the shopping district, Tango and Impulse heaving concrete to their shop to build up the walls. They had spent the morning on the redstone in the floor and as the sun began to pulse, the pair were beginning to build up the walls of the place. They were both used to working on their bases alone and the silence that accompanied that, so as they gathered their resources the only sound was the hum of the hot day and crackling of redstone. Tango started on one side and Impulse the other, putting up strangely sized cubes of different colours, slowly making their way around the building as their hands went raw and their arms began to ache from lifting the concrete into place.</p><p>As they closed around the back, the laborious task coming a close, they were both quite slow with exhaustion. Worse yet, Tango had to tear down a section only to put it back up because it didn’t look quite right. Impulse was kneeling by their chests filling his arms with concrete as he saw Tango hiss and growl at himself as he tore it down for the second time, moving too fast and destroying the concrete so it couldn’t be used again.</p><p>So Impulse tossed what he had carried over to Tango and put what he had left and began building next to him. Tango sighed, kicked away the rubble he had made, and heaved the concrete Impulse had dumped next to him into the proper place. “Thanks.” He said quietly.</p><p>“Are you okay man?” Impulse asked, shoving a piece of concrete into place and smoothing over where it grinded against the first piece with his hand.</p><p>There it was. The confrontation Tango was so afraid of. The demon wrinkled his nose and dug his feet into the concrete already placed below him to shoulder the piece he was working on into place. “’M fine.” He said, smoothing over where the two concrete blocks met with his boot like Impulse just had before heaving the next block on top and kicking it to make sure it was stable.</p><p>“I mean, I know things have been like, <em>weird</em> lately, I just wanted to check in on you cause, you know, it’s been weird!” Impulse rambled, moving more concrete into place. He ran his hand through his hair and spun to face Tango at the end of his excited rant, drooping when he saw the demon wasn’t even looking at him, just shoving more concrete into place, letting himself be absorbed by his work. If Tango was good at anything it was causing trouble and getting so absorbed by a project he didn’t do anything else (including eat or sleep) for several days. “Tango?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Replied his friend, stepping around him to get to work on the next weird cube for the wall.</p><p>“Are you sure you’re okay?” Impulse grunted, getting between Tango and his build. Tango gave Impulse a glance before scrubbing at his eyes and letting out a big sigh.</p><p>“I’m just tired. Doing the old grind, working all day, takes a lot out of a man.” Tango huffed, sidestepping Impulse and smoothing the two blocks together.</p><p>Watching him keenly, Impulse put his hands on his hips and chuckled. “Well, I’ve been working just as long as you and I’m not nearly as tired. You’ve been acting weird for the past few days man and I’m really starting to worry-”</p><p>“Maybe,” Hissed Tango over his shoulder. His back was heaving with his breaths and his voice sounded scratchier than usual. “you’re not at <em>tired</em> as I am because I am <em>doing all the work!”</em></p><p>Tango did not look like Tango. His face was flushed red, and his teeth were poking into his bottom lip as he tried to shut his mouth, and his horns seemed to grow before Impulse’s eyes, the tips curling around his face into wicked sharp points. His eyes were red as always, but Impulse could have sworn he could see black cat-eye pupils growing in the centers. Impulse took a step back, his human eyes wide with fear, and the side of his shoe slipped on the edge of the cube he was standing on, sending him tumbling down to the mycelium below.</p><p>When he sat up, his head pounded, his hip hurt, and his elbow was throbbing. Impulse ran his hand through his hair and hissed when it came in contact with a cut along the side of his head. Pulling his hand away, Impulse’s palm was smattered with blood. When he looked up, Tango was still bodily moving concrete into place, teeth grit together the best fangs could as he huffed and puffed and growled.</p><p>“Okay, uh, cool man!” Impulse gulped, getting to his feet and swaying back and forth as his head swam. “I’ll just- starting filling up the chests inside!”</p><p>For a second, Impulse really did consider shaking himself off, let natural regeneration take its course, and going inside the shop and filling up the chests and giving Tango his space. That thought actually ran through his mind! But then Impulse recognized the fact that he had just suffered a head wound, Tango almost ripped out his throat, and Impulse should probably tell someone!</p><p>So he opened a private chat with his Admins.</p><p>
  <em>ImpulseSV: Can one or preferably both of you come to the shopping district please?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: Coming. Which side and why?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>ImpulseSV: By Scar’s chest monster. Tango isn’t himself.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: We’ll be there asap</em>
</p><p>Hiding inside the concrete shop, Impulse just leaned on the wall and waited for his wounds to heal. He felt very lucky that he made the inside wall before they started on the outside decorations so he didn’t have to watch Tango keep building in his weird state he was in.</p><p>Grian ran in, wings twitching against his shoulders and hair askew. “Impulse, dude, are you okay? Where’s Tango?” He paused to raise an eyebrow at the weird changing floor but quickly picked up his stride.</p><p>“He’s right outside!” Impulse said, pointing to the back of the shop where the outside wall was still unfinished.</p><p>“Xisuma is out there looking right now.” Grian said, going on his tippy toes and pushing Impulse’s hair aside to get a better look at the slowly healing cut there. Impulse hissed and grumbled about it but bent a little so Grian could see the top of his head better. “We didn’t see anyone out there. Are you sure he’s still here? What happened?”</p><p>“I don’t know!” Impulse grunted, flinching when Grian’s nail caught on part of the healing wound. Grian made a sound of apology and pulled his hands away before leading Impulse to sit down on the shulker box full of concrete so he could better see the cut.</p><p>That’s when Xisuma slid in, big red eyes wide as he rushed over. Every one stretched out their arms to steady themselves as the floor shifted again and Impulse thought maybe they should have put some glass over the moving part of the floor. Xisuma waved his hand over Impulse’s head and the injured man stamped his feet into the ground as the healing process sped ten fold and the awkward, painful feeling of skin knitting back together shot through him. “Oh goodness me my friend are you alright?”</p><p>“Peachy.” Impulse moaned, rubbing the sore spot.</p><p>“Okay, okay, let’s all take a deep breath here. Impulse, could you tell us what happened?” Said Grian. He and Xisuma sat down on the other chests strewn across the construction site and listened patiently.</p><p>“Well, um, he and I have been up pretty early working on this shop. And we were also with Mumbo yesterday learning on to make a concrete maker and then <em>made</em> that said concrete maker.” Said Impulse. “He and I built the redstone for the floor this morning and then got to work making the walls around it all because we wanted to just get it done. He was quiet all day though and looked tired so I asked him how he was doing! But Tango started snarling at me and getting mad and he was… changing! Actually changing in front of me! His skin was red and his horns were growing and he was baring his teeth at me you know I don’t know what was happening but I just- I got scared, and I stepped back, and I fell.”</p><p>“So Tango didn’t actually attack you?”</p><p>“No! He would never! He’s Tango. Tango wouldn’t hurt me.” Impulse frowned.</p><p>“Impulse,” Grian sighed. “He almost did.”</p><p>----------</p><p>After watching Impulse limp inside the shop, Tango kicked him elytra into gear and soared away. He didn’t really pay attention to where he was going, just scrubbed his face and let his wings carry him. His gums throbbed with the feeling of his teeth growing, his head was pounding and he felt dizzy, the air was too thin and sweet and everything he could feel was just <em>too much</em>.</p><p>He didn’t know why he was so <em>angry</em>. He felt rage at <em>himself</em> boiling in his stomach, leading to him dragging his claws through his hair and leaving angry red marks in their wake. The demon clumsily landed in… in… the jungle? Tango was in the jungle. Okay. Fine! Tango was in the jungle.</p><p>Why was Tango in the jungle?</p><p>Snarling at himself as he looked up at the canopy, Tango tried to kick open his elytra and go home and maybe get some sleep or maybe bury himself under his creeper farm down to bedrock for the next ten years. But when he looked to his rocket sling to propel himself into the air, dread mixed the demon’s anger as he found <em>somehow </em>he had used all of his rockets. That meant Tango was left wandering through the jungle thicket until he could find someone’s base to orient himself.</p><p>Walking through the jungle alone meant Tango had plenty of time to think.</p><p>Why did he snarl at Impulse? The dude had been doing just as much work as he had on the shop! Tango had no right to snap at him for something that was totally untrue. Impulse shouldn’t have pushed him for an answer though. Tango had given Impulse the answer to his question and just wanted to get that stupid build done, but now he’s the one lost in a giant jungle with no rockets and a sword on low durability. Even if Impulse was being annoying, Tango probably should have made sure he wasn’t hurt from falling but too late now so he shouldn’t feel bad about it, right? Tango <em>did</em> feel tired and sick and wanted to get out of the stupid jungle!</p><p>Oh look, it’s Xisuma’s base.</p><p>Tango looked at the giant base and frowned. He knew which direction to go now… but didn’t Xisuma have some stuff in there Tango could use?</p><p>So the demon snuck in.</p><p>The hallways were big and arching and Tango made sure to stay alert. He looked back and forth every time he heard a noise, which really could be anything in the jungle, a pesky bird, a creeper, another Hermit that Tango really didn’t want to run into right then. He had come in through the flight doors and didn’t know his way around all that well, but Tango stayed crouched and alert.</p><p>For what, he didn’t quite know. Where he was going or why is was in Xisuma’s base, those questions were getting harder to answer the further into the building he slid. When he tried to focus on it, Tango felt like his mind was foggy. It felt familiar but he kept moving.</p><p>Guiding himself through the base, even as his head got foggier and foggier and Tango felt more and more tired, the demon could feel something crawling up the back of his neck. He smacked there and his hand came away with nothing, no bug, no blood, nothing. Growling under his breath as he bristled, Tango just told himself to push on. What he was pushing towards he still didn’t know, but he shook that thought off as fast as it came. That’s when Tango saw the brewing stands. The potions. The bag of Nether clippings standing right where it had been left when Tango did before.</p><p>Whatever had been clouding Tango’s head instead made it throb and he stumbled closer. The potions would be useless to him, so he batted them away, the glass shattering on the floor and sending the magic flying everywhere. The smell made Tango’s heart beat harder, his head swim more. Red and blue Nether particles swirled around him, the magic dying out in the Overworld air and evaporating into a mystifying fog. Red clawed hands Tango didn’t recognize shredded through the flimsy leather of Xisuma’s bag and Tango pulled out some of the clippings, searching for <em>something</em>.</p><p>What he needed wasn’t in the bag. The clippings had dried up and some even turned to ash in Tango’s hands. Tango couldn’t really remember what he needed but it had to be important if he went out of his way to sneak into Xisuma’s base so Tango shook off his brief confusion and started to search for a working Nether portal.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter Ten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While bringing up his hands and simply removing the signs like anyone removes a sign would have been suffice, Tango decided his claws where the best tool for removing the signs blocking him from the Nether. He shredded the wood into splinters that fell as his feet and stepped into the portal, bouncing his foot against the obsidian with a <em>clack clack clack</em> as the magic took just too long to wash over him and sweep the demon into the Nether.</p><p>Tango stumbled out of the portal, falling to his hands and knees. His palms sunk into the dry lichen below him and the smell of a warped forest swam in his mind, sweet like sugar and alive like the fire roaring in his blood. The demon searched through the forest around him, the fog nothing to his trained eyes. He saw a small group of confused piglins looking at him, heads tilted they approached with their grubby hands and strange expressions and Tango reared up from where he had fallen and <em>snarled.</em> The piglins left him alone.</p><p>Brushing himself off as he climbed to his feet, Tango got a better look at the forest. It was been creeping into this area for awhile now and the warped soil had finally taken its root in this area. The vines rained down on his head and the strange trees glowed warmly with shroomlights. As much as Tango would have liked to take the time to breathe in the environment, he knew he had to… there was… he had to be somewhere! He had to find the place and be there and find whatever was in there and then all his questions would be answered. His head would stop hurting and he’d return- he’d return- where would he go after? He could stay.</p><p> As Tango walked through the Nether as he had always known it, he shrugged off his elytra. He doesn’t have any rockets, so why would he need one? He threw his redstone on the ground because he wasn’t really sure if it would work in the Nether and it was slowing him down, just making it harder for him to get to his location.</p><p>Soon enough, Tango was deep in a crimson forest, wading through a herd of hoglins, having dropped everything on him but his dwindling supply of golden carrots and his sword. The armor was too heavy, so Tango left the useless diamond stuff behind. When Tango peeked in his bag and had to judge how long the carrots would last him, he eyed the hoglins he just passed and hummed. He hadn’t had meat in such a long time.</p><p>The demon turned around, unsheathed his sword, and brought it down on the nearest hoglin. The others began to squeal as Tango sliced down the first, snarling and baring their tusks at Tango. When the demon hissed right back, they all ran. Smirking, Tango cut the edible meat away from the hoglin and stuffed it in his pack to cook later, leaving what was left behind for whatever lurked in the bushes. When Tango emerged from the crimson forest, he was left on a soulsand beach, a small herd of striders across the dangerous terrain, followed by a giant lava lake that didn’t seem to end.</p><p>Sniffing the air, Tango was quick to find a warped fungus after noticing the warped forest encircled the crimson forest. He pulled a branch down from a tree and tied the fungi onto it before using his hands to shovel globs of crimson soil on top of the soulsand. Gingerly crossing the dangerous stuff as the souls stuck in the grains cried for him, it was easy for Tango to lure a strider closer and jump on the things back.</p><p>The strider let out a rattle, shaking for a moment, but Tango pressed his legs into its side and held out the warped fungi in front of it tantalizingly. The strider took a step forward, reaching for the food, and Tango grinned as the stupid creature left its herd behind to go wherever Tango pointed the warped fungi.</p><p>Smart enough to stay alert during the ride, Tango sat tall and kept his eye on the Nether roof above him, the basalt falling into the lava at his side, what leaned over the lava lake in lips of forest or crumbling soulsand. The strider kept up with Tango’s pace, whenever it dared to slow Tango would squeeze his legs like riding the horse of the Overworld and hold the fungi just a little further away. The bubbling lava below hissed at Tango where he couldn’t hiss as the immune strider, but Tango ignored the heat crawling up his legs, taking deep breaths of the stifling air. Slowly but surely, the shore came into view and Tango prepared to leap for the netherack waiting to receive him.</p><p>Once the strider was close enough, Tango stood on the thing’s back and took the opportunity to vault off. He landed on the netherack hard and threw the warped fungi on a stick to the strider before continuing further into the Nether.</p><p>For the first time in a long time, Tango felt <em>alive.</em> There was pep in his step, his chin was held high, there was no weight constantly pulling on his eyelids. Tango felt like he was <em>going </em>somewhere and it had purpose as he wandered through the empty lands of the Nether. The air rejuvenated his lungs, the smells made him nostalgic, and the view was a sight for sore eyes after seeing nothing but the nether wastes for so many years. Tango felt like he had a mission as he began marching up a steep hill of netherack, legs aching and head foggy but path determined.</p><p>The scent in the air changed. There was no putrid smell of melting stone, no stench of fire, no retch of the burning striders, no must of the forests or rot of soulsand. Tango could smell food. Something sweet and something heady like meat. If he strained his ears, he could hear music and conversation. It made Tango’s foggy head swim, a smile stretching across his face as he heaved himself over a lip of netherack with blistered hands and saw home.</p><p>From this angle, Tango knew the fortress looked a lot smaller than it was. The stretching towers and endless walkways and proud arches stood against the backdrop of warped and crimson forests. Legions of wither skeleton guards marched down the halls, eyes forever trained forwards. Piglins danced around the bottom of the arches the fortress stood on, searching for scraps where the ground was upturned around the pillars of the grand building. But past the piglins and the wither skeletons Tango could see what looked like… celebrations along the walkways. Of demons. Lots of demons.</p><p>Something hard and heavy that was in Tango’s chest he had never noticed constricted.</p><p>“Hello?” Tango called up. Well- he tried to at least, his voice cracking from breathing the hot air he wasn’t used to anymore. Once he managed to clear his throat, he tried again. “Helloo?”</p><p><em>Woosh</em>. A demon with long red hair tied into braids that fell to his hips stood to Tango’s left side, bright yellow eyes narrowed.</p><p><em>Woosh. </em>A second demon with heavy netherite armor plated with gold stood on the right, grinning wide with his hands on his hips, twisting on the spot like he couldn’t be still in a way Tango was awfully happy to remember.</p><p><em>Woosh. </em>A beautiful woman that Tango had missed so much stood in front of him, golden hair tied into tight ringlets by her ears, large horns coiling outwards several times, big eyes bright and keen. Her smile pushed into her cheeks and her fangs were big and shining even in the low lighting. She looked like a wolf smiling at her dinner and when she tilted her head to the side, she was awfully careful of the spikes jutting from her shoulder plate. “My son.”</p><p>“Mom,” Breathed Tango.</p><p>Tavelia opened her arms, the light, flowing fabric of her robes drifting under her arms like angel wings. Tango fell into her embrace easily, holding her close until he had to pull away to hug his father next. Turning to his left next, Tango bowed to his mother’s friend Averi, a fellow member of the High Council.</p><p>“You’re late!” Tavelia laughed. When Tango next blinked, he was in his old room, swaying back and forth under his mother and father’s eyes with how twisted and foggy his head felt. The smells were overwhelming inside the fortress, the air was becoming hard to breathe, and Tango felt so, so <em>tired. </em>“We began the festivities dedicated to your return without you. Your father has some more… appropriate dress.”</p><p>Sitting heavily on his bed, Tango let go of a shuddering breath. When he looked at his clothes, he distantly wondered what about what he was wearing was so inappropriate when his mother summoned a wither servant who brought Tango a glass of weeping vine juice. Tavelia left but Tango’s feather, Harken, stayed, leaving a pile of clothing and even pieces of netherite armor for his son. He nodded to Tango and left the room, missing Tango flop back onto the giant bed and stare at the ceiling high above him.</p><p>He didn’t realize just how tired he was. Tango quenched his thirst and finished the golden carrots on his bag before pulling himself out of bed and beginning to dress himself in what his father had left. Flowing pants of soft fabric and a simply leather tunic were quickly concealed by the leather and netherite armor, a leather plate hanging from his hips and a netherite chest plate heavy on his chest and limiting how much he could move his shoulders. When Tango looked down at what he was wearing, he didn’t quite recognize himself.</p><p>Even in the safety of his own room, Tango felt his head swimming like he hadn’t quite found whatever it was he was searching for. Recalling what his mother had said about festivities being held in his honor, the demon slid out into the hall. He knew this fortress well even if it had been months since he was home, wandering through the private quarters to where festivities had to be waiting.</p><p>And waiting they were. The sound was a good indicator as to where the guests were, because the second Tango turned the corner, he saw a full room of bustling demons and food.</p><p>Most Tango could recognize from the High Court. His mother, who sat in the Tallest Chair, stood with his father on the other side of the room. Tango’s father still held the position of Head General of the Nether army. The people who were around to celebrate the return of their son were only people who held similar ranks because at least Tango knew his parents wouldn’t be caught dead with commoners in their home. Still it was strange, seeing all these people who were so happy for him to leave the Nether suddenly celebrating his return.</p><p>Why was Tango questioning this? There was a party in his honor! He had to take part!</p><p>He grinned at his mother and crossed the room, holding himself high and proud. The others in the room parted ways for him, some began to whisper, others began to cheer, and it was all quite strange, but when he made it to his family, he hugged his mother once more and shook hands with his father. Now that he had ‘finally’ arrived, festivities were starting to grow, with music and feasting and several people Tango struggled to remember the name’s of clapping him on the back and welcoming him home.</p><p>While all this was happening, Tango could only ask himself why he was there. He had gone through the Nether portal in search of something, but what was it? He hadn’t found anything here. He didn’t want to live in the Nether, he had made that clear to himself years ago. Even if he was to live in the Nether, what would he do? Be in the High Council? Tango despised that life option more than anything. All smiles and debates and hating the people you work with even though you have to work as a team? Tango would much rather be on the Overworld with… with… the music died for a moment as the songs changed and Tango was dragged into a dance by a young demon with sunny yellow eyes and hair to match, all big smiles and sweet laughs.</p><p>On the other side of the fortress, Tango’s communicator was alive underneath his pile of clothing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter Eleven</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Watching the Admins delve through deep code was an interesting sight. Everyone was used to Xisuma’s helmet, the way the visor which had been endowed with Admin magic by Generikb, how the tinted glass would turn into a dark plate with ones and zeroes flashing across it until Xisuma had found whatever he needed.</p><p>Now that the helmet didn’t fit, Xisuma had to teach himself how to do it the old fashion way. He taught Grian the spells he had forgotten, and Grian taught him how to access the spells without the help of a helmet, or a crystal, or a command block. Unfortunately, Xisuma was a derp and Grian a pesky bird, so the two wrote themselves code cheat sheets in their communicators more often than not. It was faster if they desperately needed code than having to wrack their brains for the right collections and symbols and numbers that would appear totally random to anyone else.</p><p>Impulse had the pleasure of watching what the two Admins did when the code they needed wasn’t typed into the communicators at the ready. They sat back to back on the floor, leaning on each other, eyes shut. Occasionally, a white light would flash behind their eyelids and startle the Hermit watching, or one of them would jolt for a moment and white electricity would spark down their arms or make Grian’s hair stand on end like a cartoon before flopping back into the mess it was.</p><p>Unfortunately for the three who were sitting in the middle of Impulse’s storage system, the blanket of night leaving the place in only the glow of the sparring sea lanterns, the Admins had to search through their code to find Tango.</p><p>The demon was a danger to himself and others in his upset state, Grian and Xisuma had agreed. Xisuma checked his base, Grian looked through the shopping district, and Impulse went home to rest his pounding head. Once finding Toon Towers and Tango’s multiple shops empty, the Admins began searching everywhere else Tango may be. Cleo’s coliseum for the Head Games, empty. Zedaph’s base, empty (other than a very confused and concerned Zedaph of course). Tango’s flower farm, empty. When they had found no one and concerned at least three other Hermits, Xisuma and Grian were forced to meet up empty handed.</p><p>Once they had agreed Tango wouldn’t be found by a search and rescue team, they decided to delve into code. An unfortunate thing about Admin powers, is that when using code that isn’t readily available, the Admin becomes prone and venerable. Since Impulse was the only Hermit who knew what was really going on, they went to his base and asked him to watch them as they searched through their code.</p><p>Even if the sight was incredibly weird, Impulse found the process kind of interesting. He wondered if the Admins ever sparked in their sleep, or if the white light that they shined with ever caught something on fire if it got too concentrated. As Impulse was considering the heat and electrical properties of Admin magic and how it could possibly be used as the best redstone battery know to man, Grian pulled away from Xisuma with a sharp gasp, his wings spreading with alarm even as the longest feathers were pressed against the ground.</p><p>Standing from his shulker box throne, Impulse quickly moved closer and put a hand on Grian’s shoulder. The Admin flinched away and looked at Impulse with moony eyes, literally, Grian’s irises covered by a fading layer of white Admin magic. “Are you okay Grian?”</p><p>“Fine, yeah, wow,” Grian laughed, rubbing his palms into his eyes. “Sorry just- glitched code from a few days ago. Nothing big.”</p><p>“Why were you looking at code from a few days ago?”</p><p>“My friends, I found him.” Said Xisuma behind them. The Voidkind seemed to shake himself off and rippled in a sense, shuffling around to face Grian and Impulse. “Tango is in the Nether.”</p><p>“Crap,” Murmured Impulse. Grian and Xisuma had explained to him why the Nether was probably the worst place for Tango at that time, and their worst fears were unraveling around them. Impulse sat instead of crouched and covered his face with a shaky sigh as he worried over the fate of his friend.</p><p>Grian pat Impulse on the back, frowning as he looked up at Xisuma. “Okay. Next step?”</p><p>“We can wait for him to come back.” Said Xisuma. “But that’s probably the worst idea. Really the only thing I think would have a sliver of hope of getting him would to be going to the Nether. Whether we creep around and wait to stumble on him going for a walk or something, or we go back to the fortress we found.”</p><p>“I’ll say I don’t want to go the fortress.” Grian sighed. “But if it’ll get us Tango back, I’m in.”</p><p>“Okay. Okay. This is fine. Grian, stay here and handle some things while I’m gone.” Xisuma said. Grian and Impulse were both prepared to tell Xisuma there was no way he was going along and he <em>had </em>to stop volunteering to go to another dimension to fight immortal monsters all by himself when the Admin got around to finishing his sentence. “I’m going to go to my castle in the Deep End and see if there’s any reading about why Voidkind and demons hate each other so much. No one go near the Nether until I’m back. Goodnight my friends.”</p><p>With that, Xisuma disappeared in a flurry of purple particles, leaving Grian and Impulse sitting in the center of Impulse’s base, the midnight moon glowing brightly above them and washing them in the pale blue light. Even though he had been sleeping for the last two hours, Impulse looked exhausted and defeated.</p><p>Grian knew exactly how he felt.</p><p>“Hey,” The builder whispered, afraid to break the perverse peace that had settled over the ocean base. “go to bed Impulse. If you want me to stay, I can.”</p><p>“No, man, I can’t ask you to do that-”</p><p>“You’re not asking,” Grian said. “I’m offering.”</p><p>And because of that, Impulse took a deep breath and gave Grian shaky nod. Like most Hermits, bedrooms were often the last things built next to over-powered farms and pretty exteriors. Impulse’s bed was laying next to a pile of chests, mostly unused, and when Impulse laid down, he immediately realized he didn’t have a second bed for Grian and his face burned.</p><p>“Don’t worry about it.” Grian smiled, reading Impulse’s mind. He laid on his back in the moonlight and curled his wings around himself. “I’ve slept in worse places.”</p><p>Impulse snorted and shut his eyes, letting himself sink into the bed and try to forget the day’s events. The air was crisp but the thin blanket kept him just warm enough to be comfortable as he curled on his side. He heard the sound of the waves outside lapping at the walls of his base, the sweet hum of redstone from his sorting system and the kelp farm below. As he fell asleep, Impulse made the plan to build his bedroom close to the wall so he could always hear the ocean as he tried to sleep, and to build a drowned farm as far away from that bedroom as possible after Tango was home safe and sound.</p><p>“Your base is super cool, Impulse.” Grian said quietly.</p><p>Smiling, Impulse fell asleep.</p><p>----------</p><p>Xisuma always laughed at how strange Admin powers were and how draining they tended to be. They could do amazing things like respawn a dying person but moving himself through pieces of code was so tiring he could only go so far at a time or the code would proclaim the area he desired was out of reach. He would have used the Void magic Ex had brought back to him but the powerful still felt foreign building in Xisuma’s veins and the warm static of Admin magic was all the more alluring even if it wasn’t as powerful.</p><p>Standing over the End Portal like he had a few weeks before, Xisuma only sighed. He stepped in without much hesitation, and as the cold, light air of the end filled his lungs, he began searching through the code of the End to get to the edge of the Deep End. The second his feet hit endstone he was gone all over again, instead standing on the edge of end island and looking out into the deep void.</p><p>Only when Xisuma was in the End did he remember how much the Overworld air encumbered him. It was heavy and thick and hard to breathe but after enough adjustment he was able to push the discomfort to the edges of his awareness. The Nether was far worse, which was becoming more and more of a threat to the Admin, but he ignored that fearful thought to relish in the feeling of the End. The air that made him feel elated, the atmosphere that didn’t put incredible pressure on his shoulders.</p><p>Drinking in the feeling of being <em>home</em>, Xisuma began flying towards his castle. As he crossed the world barrier, he could feel the static of Admin magic leaving him, but mostly because he was purposely searching for that feeling. Flying through the blackness wasn’t as bad as it was the first time and Xisuma really couldn’t imagine how it must have felt for the mortals flying beside him.</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid has left the world</em>
</p><p>As always, flight gave Xisuma time to think. His head wasn’t compressed by oppressive Overworld air and it only meant he could think all the more about the tragedy that was laid out in front of him. Impulse’s broken expression, the cut on his head. The cryptic disappearance in Tango. Xisuma was trying to think of what could have triggered what was happening to Tango and found no answers other than something that shouldn’t have getting into Hermitcraft and doing something to him. That thought made Xisuma’s blood boil, made him steam, but Xisuma couldn’t let that overtake him now.</p><p>No. How would someone get into the Overworld without he or Grian noticing? Especially something like a demon. What else could have triggered Tango to act so out of character? Xisuma tried to rack his brain and thought back to the strange Nether plant life he had been experimenting on. When Tango was there… Xisuma only touched the plants.</p><p>Xisuma squinted at the endless void stretching out before him, scowling. How could a simple plant have turned Tango mad? The potions Xisuma had brewed were all stoppered by the brewing stand before they could be pulled away and release anything-</p><p>He had torn some of the potions out because the brewing stand had made too much noise. They had released a plume of steam when pulled away without being stoppered.</p><p>Even if it hurt his shoulders, Xisuma began to pick up speed. He didn’t have any time to waste if one of his Hermits was hurt or sick or in danger. His castle sped into the view, the purpur towers cutting through the Void as Xisuma made no effort to take the door and instead spiraled down the staircase of the open-topped tower.</p><p>Then it was a race to library, a furious search in the endless shelves for any literature on the demons of the Nether. Unfortunately for him, Xisuma had sent Ex so many books that the library truly was as much of a void as the blackness outside. The shelves swallowed the books and were hesitant to give up their meal, holding the information tight in their jaws as Xisuma gave up on being neat and began yanking the books from the shelves to read their spines and throw them on the floor.</p><p>After ravaging the first two floors of endless cresting shelves, Xisuma had only found three books that could have possibly helped him. The books were <em>The Nether </em>(Xisuma was acutely aware that the book wasn’t called The Deep Nether), <em>Dumb Dog Demons</em>, an opinion piece on demons which would obviously be very opinionated and lack proper facts, and finally <em>Dimension Intervention: The Wars of The Beginning, Middle, and End</em>. The final book was the most promising, so that is where Xisuma decided to start.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter Twelve</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>To know where to start is tricky. Many would say the End, but more would say the Nether. Lack of exploring, resource gathering, or anthropological interviews result in a lack of proper information from both the Deep End and Deep Nether. Considering mortals are prohibited from both realms and the respective immortals of these dimensions are hesitant to share what they know; the truth of our world’s beginning may never be uncovered. What we know is myth, and myth can not be trusted.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Exhibit A:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The most widely accepted theory among scholars is that the Void was the first thing in creation. The Void contained everything, ever atom, every piece of code, every whisper of magic. While myth says the Void became lonely and in turn made Voidkind to keep it’s endlessly company, a more plausible explanation is that the Void wasn’t always endless, and there was so much material trapped in it’s confines that the atoms condensed, forming elements such as carbon, materials like obsidian and purpur and Voidkind were born from this adaptation. While the world started as a handful of Voidkind and limited resources, myth goes that the Voidkind, forever giving, used the magic the Void had blessed them with (which was probably Voidkind finding more and more random materials being spat out by the atom generator that was the Void) to make the thousands of Overworlds we know today. This theory is accepted due to the ties between the Deep End and every single Overworld and corresponding End. Voidkind then fashioned mortals to fill the worlds, resulting in the strange mix of species, from Creepers (which some argue should count as plants), to Birds, to Humans, to Pigs.</em>
</p><p><em>Exhibit B: The next myth comes from the Nether and is known by few on the Overworld. Pieces of this myth have been found on ancient wreckage lost beneath mounds of Netherack in the form of hieroglyphs. This means the translations are not reliable, but they are physical evidence of an ancient civilization that once ruled the Nether. </em>Xisuma scoffed at that. Once. He shook his head and continued reading. <em>The civilization of the Nether argued fire is a life-bringing. While this is true, because almost every living mortal creature needs to maintain heat in order to function, fire is also very destructive in nature. But myths speak of old monsters that once roamed the Nether, fought off by only the bravest of humans, called Demons. These Demons were resistant to fire, humanoid in appearance, yet anything but. These Demons believed that the world started as the Void, which condensed into not a Voidkind or a piece of obsidian, but a star. From that star burned the universe’s first fire, and when the star grew too big and burst into a super nova, the material that floating through the Void condensed into Netherack, a material impervious to fire. From this was born the Nether. Due to the mostly lifeless, harsh nature of the Nether, the Demons that had been born from the deepest pits of fire in those lands wished to leave it. They experimented with their magic and the materials around them and created the first Nether portal. Unfortunately, that myth has many gaps, and how the Overworld came about is one of them. The rest have been filled in by probable estimate for reading clarity.</em></p><p>
  <em>Because of these conflicting theories, the End and the Nether have always been at war. Voidkind and their henchmen Endermen believe they were the first and should be worshipped as gods. Demons (and other inhabitants of the Nether) believed that they were the first and that Humans, Demons, and Voidkind should have lived in harmony, working together the best of their three realms to make what had started as a starry void a better place. Written in the ancient hieroglyphs of the Nether, myth tells it that the Voidkind were outraged. There is no Voidkind literature or myth to correspond with this accusation, but it is said an army of Voidkind rained down upon the Nether and stripped it of its majesty, destroying what little ecosystem it had and wiping out all semblance of civilization. Ever since then, demons now absent from the Nether, and Voidkind have ruled.</em>
</p><p><em>Yeah right</em>, grumbled Xisuma.</p><p>
  <em>Dimension Intervention: The Beginning, Middle, and End, is a book written to prove that both of these myths are true and that the war between the dimensions are not over. The Voidkind themselves will not explain how The Nether came about, calling it a ‘filthy place’, leaving a gap in their myth as to why there ever was a war or a dimension to speak of. A great civilization that the Nether once was cannot just disappear. Perhaps there is a Deep Nether like there is a Deep End? All we need is to find it. To find the missing link, such as a surviving demon, a structure with more hieroglyphs, or a Watcher Voidkind that was surviving in the days the Nether thrived.</em>
</p><p>Xisuma frowned at the book. Of course the three things he needed, he had, and then lost. Just his luck, but he wouldn’t let that stop him. He flipped to the Table of Contents in the book and hummed as his ran his claw down the page in search for something helpful.</p><p>
  <em>Demons - What We Know</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There is no writings of demons and no drawings, only hieroglyphs describing them. They are bipedal, walking on two crooked legs. Demons appear as humanoid in shape and stature, but have additional features such as retractable claws, large horns that can coil or point directly upwards, warm-toned skin, glowing eyes, and some even possess tails. They are fire resistant, but are hesitant around lava, and possess many different kinds of magic. They can control heat around them, have impeccable memories some contribute to their magical abilities, and the power to control another person as long as they maintain eye contact.</em>
</p><p>Shutting the book, Xisuma sunk into himself with a sigh. He rubbed his eye and began packing up the books, sliding them into his bag and gearing up to fly back into Hermit territory. He brought all three books back with him even if only <em>Dimension Intervention </em>had what he was really looking for. The Admin considered staying the night in the End, to get some proper sleep, and as he stood in the door to fly back to the Hermits, he hesitated.</p><p>Xisuma loved the Overworld. He literally tore himself in half to a part of the Overworld, to meet the Hermits. It was his job to protect them now and he would end anything that posed a threat to the people he loved. Xisuma was willing to lay his life down for the Hermits and from his readings, he wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what had to happen.</p><p>The Admin gave himself a break. The Overworld drained his strength and maybe a night in the Deep End in his old bed would do him some good. Xisuma closed the doors that led him back to Hermits and delved deeper into his old home to climb into bed and take the night.</p><p>Decompressing in the End was nothing like decompressing in a proper bed. Xisuma curled up under his blankets, shut his weary eyes, and laid down for a proper sleep for the first time in a long time.</p><p>----------</p><p>Without Xisuma, the Hermits were a little panicked. The news of Tango’s disappearance combined with Xisuma’s absence and the barred off Nether portals was creating a snowball of concerns that Grian had to fight to keep up with, along with the glitches that would usually take maybe an hour to fix. Grian was stuck in a snowball of his own, trying to get his own work done, grinding for his base and for his shop, keeping an eye on everyone and making sure they were happy and safe, and staying on top of every glitch and piece of broken code in Hermitcraft.</p><p>Redstoners were upset that they couldn’t get a hold of quartz shards for their components. Joe’s winery was struggling with the blaze rods to power his brewing stand. Adventurer’s and raiders were upset by the lack of looting and wither skulls.</p><p>No matter how upset anyone was about the Nether, and how the gossip spread through the community like wildfire, the whispers and complaints always fell silent when Impulse and Zedaph were near. The two were taking it hard, and Team ZIT was falling apart <em>again</em>. Impulse rarely left his base, only sneaking out into the world if he needed supplies. Zedaph almost completely disappeared into his cleared-out mountain. It only made the whispers spread faster.</p><p>“I heard Tango went wild on him,” Doc told False as they began collecting the items Bdubs had dropped. “Claws and everything.”</p><p>False scooped up her precious tag and clipped it to her belt, raising an eyebrow at the creeper. “What? Tango? No.” She snorted, placing down a chest and tucking away Bdubs’ building supplies.</p><p>“You stinkers!” Bdubs cried as he stomped in, a fading pink scar evident on his shoulder.</p><p>“Hey man, you don’t mess with the G.O.A.T and get away with it.” Doc smirked at him, standing just a little bit taller. Ever since Bdubs had knocked down his stupid statue Doc had just gotten <em>more </em>into his Goat God business and he was truly terrifying. He tucked his sword against his hip and winked at Bdubs. “That’s the Goatfather for you.”</p><p>“That Goat <em>what</em>!?” Huffed the builder, still standing in the door with a big pout.</p><p>“Wait,” False said, holding up her hand. “Bdubs, um, your stuff is in the chest- Doc, do you really think Tango would hurt Impulse?”</p><p>“I mean, he’s a demon.” Doc shrugged.</p><p>“So!” False frowned, putting her hands on her hips. “You’re a creeper! Are you going to blow us up?”</p><p>Doc scowled at her. “You know I can’t. I lost that ability when the NHO found me.”</p><p>It was a weird memory for Doc and Bdubs, especially with the situation they found themselves in now. But long ago, Doc had been a wild creeper and had tried to take down the NHO when they first moved into his jungle. When he (luckily) failed, the three Hermits patched him back together with redstone robotics and introduced him to civilized life. Bdubs was regretting it in that moment. (He really wasn’t. Even if Doc was going crazy with G.O.A.T disease he was still the creeper Bdubs knew and loved)</p><p>“You can’t assume something of Tango just because he’s a demon. You of all people should know that.” False reprimanded Doc and Bdubs sulked over to put his armor back on as the Queen of Hearts and Body Parts starting getting angry at a man with a Head Game bounty in an obviously PVP zone. He did not want to be the center of that.</p><p>As Bdubs wrestled on his diamond pants and boots and strapped on his helmet, he saw Doc… pouting? “You’re right Falsie.”</p><p>“I know I’m right!” False said. “Grian went missing and you got all up in arms but Tango is gone and you’re acting like he doesn’t deserve a search and rescue party too. All have you know Impulse and I are going to the Nether.”</p><p>“You are? False, that’s a death sentence.” Gasped Bdubs.</p><p>“Well, I haven’t actually asked him yet.” False replied, head still held high. “But we’re doing it! We’re going to find him and bring him home like we did Grian and it’s going to be fine.”</p><p>With some more apologies from Doc and a few more concerned complaints from Bdubs, False took off with her head and her tag. She soared right past the shopping district and right into Impulse’s base, spiraling down towards the storage system as she searched for her friend.</p><p>“Impulse?”</p><p>She landed and the base was silent. She didn’t see or hear anyone but everyone knew Impulse was only leaving the pyramid if he really needed to. She looked through his redstone, even checked under the base within the confines of the conduit, looked in every room, even went so far as to fly up onto the roof again and see if Impulse was expanding anything. Worryingly enough, he wasn’t. The man was no where to be seen.</p><p>A sad thought came to False’s mind and she begrudgingly flew towards Tango’s base. It was just as quiet and empty there, other than the sounds of the iron farm and the creepers falling booming in the distance as she stood on the guidelines of the first tower (which still laid unfinished, though False had found a chest of concrete to fill in the gaping sides).</p><p>Dread crawled up the warrior’s back as she saw a Nether portal in the distance. It lacked the wooden signs Grian and Xisuma had put up a few days earlier. When she flew over, she saw the muddy footprints of two pairs of shoes and jumped right into the roiling purple eyes of the Nether Portal.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter Thirteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The second False Symmetry, Queen of Hearts and Body Parts, PVP Master, Warrior Extraordinaire, Past General of Royal Guard stepped foot into the Nether she really regretted it. She also really wanted to turn around and maybe pack some more food or make sure her bow and sword were at full durability before walking into this, but she knew her flame would die the second she stepped back into the Overworld.</p><p>Going into the Nether alone after your friends who are chasing your other, much more dangerous friend, is a very stupid idea. False wouldn’t have done it if she wasn’t so worried and acting out of impulse, ironically enough. She knew herself well enough to know she if she turned around and went back into the Overworld even if just for a moment False would do the smart thing and get Grian or at least tell someone where she was. There was no time to do the smart thing! It was time for False to be reckless and stupid and charge in blind and do some real damage with her breaking elytra, 46 rockets, and dented chestplate.</p><p>She would be fine.</p><p>She would be fine!</p><p>In front of FalseSymmetry laid the Nether for what she knew it as, strange, almost random formations of netherack with streams of lava raining from the sky. But, among the red with the strange patches of white quartz, or bright glowstone, was patches of gold. False wasn’t sure if it was actual gold, but she also didn’t want to get closer and investigate. The horizon was cut short of her vision by the what must have been the large netherack cliff she was standing on then cutting off and falling down below. False crossed her fingers there would be a way to get down as she looked to her sides and saw only rising walls. Of course Tango’s portal opened into a nook of a cliff, because why not, right? If Impulse and presumably Zedaph had gotten through and were no longer here, it had to be good news. It had to be.</p><p>Worrying about how well she could climb a cliff face was the least of False’s worries when she spotted… <em>trees </em>in the distance. <em>Trees</em>. In the Nether. Big, red trees.</p><p>The portal behind her gargled and False gave it one last glance. “I’m doing this.” She told herself, and she did. She started walking forwards as her heart pounded and the Nether’s heat began to make her sweat. She took careful steps to the edge of the cliff and when she looked down, she saw a rather convenient path carved out of the cliff side by what had to be a pickaxe.</p><p>Of course, flying would be faster and easier, but False was low on rockets and wanted to follow Impulse’s and Zedpah’s trails. There was strength in numbers and she would feel <em>so </em>much better if she could find them and make sure they were both safe and alive and okay. Following the trail carved in the cliff face, False tried to hum a little to relax herself and scare away the sounds of ghasts in the distance, or something snorting and hissing to the right of her. False didn’t look. She knew better than to look.</p><p>Netherack was no good for leaving tracks, so False had to put herself into the shoes of Impulse and Zedaph. Zedpah was easy, he would be goofing around and exploring everything, and Impulse would be tasked with stopping the man from falling into lava and keeping their path straight. It dawned on False then that they were as lost as she and were probably walking directly forward.</p><p>Luckily enough, False thought sarcastically, straight led right up a hill into the creepy red forest.</p><p>She walked across a flat stretch of Netherack, dreading her trek into the forest, and decided to cherish the terrifying Nether she knew and loved. To her right was a lava lake, a familiar sight, the streams of lava flowing towards it and filling the basin it laid in. Something grey fell from the ceiling and into the lava however, and from where False was standing it was somehow solid even where it met the lava. To her left was jagged hills of netherack and what looked like… a humanoid… pig?</p><p>While they were staring at her, they didn’t come any closer, even if a young one was glancing over every now and again like they wanted to explore and investigate her. False put her hand on the hilt of her sword but didn’t draw it, continuing towards the forest with a sigh as she tried to keep her heart rate under control.</p><p>The forest floor swallowed her feet and the red grass squished like moss. The fighter’s eyes lit up as she searched for the forest floor for other footprints and saw them. The treads of shoes dipped and swerved around the trees and strange vines; the hard heels of diamond boots pressed firm into the moss in a zigzag aiming forward. At least the two were having fun in this ultra scary new dimension while searching for their crazy best friend, right?</p><p>And so False broke into a sprint through the forest. If they had made it through as far as False could see, the grass obviously wouldn’t swallow her hole or the vines lean down and pick her up so she knew she didn’t have to be careful. Peering through the trees, False saw nothing that could jump out and attack her which was also a plus. Unfortunately, that was also a big for now sort of thing. The Queen of Hearts and Body Parts had already made several bad choices that day, why not make more and keep sprinting through the forest in pursuit of her friends? If her breath hadn’t be stolen by her pace, or the quiet of this strange forest foreboding enough to keep her quiet, False would have called out for her friends.</p><p>How far could they be? When would their trail end? Would False find them safe?</p><p>False had to slow her run to a jog as the trail continued deeper into the forest and no sounds of the two team ZIT members could be heard. She couldn’t overexert herself after only being in the Nether for something like twenty or thirty minutes. It was hard to tell. Time in the Nether was frustrating.</p><p>Something sharp and sour hit her nose. False nearly gagged at the smell and saw something lying on its side ahead of her. Two arrows stuck out of its side, and when False stepped closer, she saw that impulse’s and Zedaph’s foot prints had become spread out and erratic. It had been a long time since False had done any proper tracking, but her best guess was that Impulse and Zedaph had been attacked (the length between their strides indicated running but doubled back around to the creature) and decided to try to kill the thing, which looked like a pig but ten times scarier and maybe twice it’s size.</p><p>Some meat had been cut from its side and False really hoped Impulse and Zedaph hadn’t tried to eat any of it since none of them knew what it was. Investigation time over, False had to keep pressing forwards and continued through the thick forest. She was trying desperately not to let the creepy atmosphere to get to her before she could get to her friends.</p><p>False did not know how long she walked. How long the forest went on or what would be waiting for her at the end. She tried to stay out of those thoughts like Wels had taught her before he had to take his leave from the Hermits. To focus on one’s goal was to hone the mind into a sharp point that could not be moved. If she let her thoughts wander False herself would begin to wander, forgetting her purpose, and her task would take twice as long. She didn’t have that kind of time, so she stopped and took a breath.</p><p>The air was thick and burned in her lungs, curling inside of her like a clawed hand. Sweat made her clothes stick to her skin under her heavy armor and her bangs were plastered to her forehead. The grass sucked on her shoes and the dust mites in air twisting along the hot breeze of the Nether whisked across her, goosebumps pebbling. Taking a moment to be aware of her surroundings was strange and uncomfortable but it let False focus on her surroundings, not the what if’s trying to distract her. Shutting her eyes for only a moment, False let out the breath that had been trying to escape her and inhaled deeply. No matter how stifling the air of the Nether was, False felt better, more relaxed, more focused.</p><p>And so she walked further into the forest. Her steps turned into a jog again once she felt strong enough. She was tried and wanted to stop but she let herself hone in on the footprints in front of her, leading her to her friends.</p><p>How long could they have been gone before False went to find Impulse? How fast were they moving? How prepared how they been? What had they seen in this forest she had missed?</p><p>Her mind was wandering again. False tried to shut herself down, pouring all her energy into moving forwards, moving forwards, moving forwards.</p><p>Then, shouting in the distance.</p><p>The Queen of Hearts and Body Parts felt her breath die in her lungs and she broke into a sprint. She didn’t know who or what was shouting but her best guess was one of her friends was in danger and she wasn’t going to slow down to wonder if maybe she should be doing this sneakily and not running into a fight she can’t win. There was no time to think when a fellow Hermit was in danger, only to draw a sword or point and laugh.</p><p>The girl gasped a horrified breath as her diamond boots almost sank into a hunk of soulsand, the moans of those who are trapped calling out to her sadly. She reached into her pack and began searching for building supplies she could use to make a bridge over the seemingly endless patch of soulsand when she saw it.</p><p>Zedaph sitting on a giant, giant rib, sticking his head into the would-be chest cavity as Impulse circled above him on a pair of elytra, calling down to him to say “Zed, we don’t know how stable that is! It’s going to break and you’ll fall!”</p><p>“But would you <em>look </em>at this thing!” Zedaph gasped in wonder. “It’s right giant!”</p><p>“Guys!” False screeched.</p><p>Zed yelped and slipped, Impulse shouted and dove to catch him, and with a well-timed rocket and a lot of screaming later, Impulse and Zedaph were lying on their faces in the red grass.</p><p>False stood over them, hands on her hips, fuming. “You’re both mad, you know that?! Absolutely insane!”</p><p>“How are you False?” Zed grinned, propping up his chin on his hand with his elbow dug into the grass.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Asked Impulse as he sat up, smearing away the spattering of grass left across his forehead.</p><p>“I’ve been chasing you two!” False scolded. “I was worried sick! I was searching high and low for you Impulse and you had just disappeared and then I saw your footprints at Tango’s Nether portal and followed you in here because it’s not safe and I was worried! You idiots!”</p><p>“Ah,” Zed said, rolling over and sitting up too. “sorry False.”</p><p>“Sorry False.” Pouted Impulse.</p><p>The warrior collapsed next to her two friends and groaned into her hands as she knocked off her helmet and leveled her glare at the two boys sitting next to her. “Xisuma is going to kill us.”</p><p>“I think we’re past that now.” Zedpah shrugged.</p><p>Impulse snorted and False found it in herself to smile. “So uh, what’s the plan?”</p><p>“Plan?” Impulse repeated. “We uh, didn’t really- find Tango, I guess?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter Fourteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been very quiet at Impulse’s base. The waves of the ocean had slowly worn away at him, no longer soft soothing sounds that helped him sleep, but repetitive crashing that interrupted his train of thought. Redstone was off the table because he couldn’t focus, building was just laborious, and that was about all Impulse could find himself interested in at the moment.</p><p>Of course, that’s when Zedaph’s buoy appeared, Zedaph standing on top, shouting for Impulse to come over. He did, begrudgingly, landing on a buoy and raising an eyebrow. “What is all this?”</p><p>“I’m making a race!” Grinned Zedaph, hopping up and down. “I wanted to make sure you’re okay with me putting this buoy so close to your base.”</p><p>“I mean, you already did it,” Impulse snickered, watching Zedaph’s guilty face.</p><p>“That’s besides the point,” The other said, looking up at Impulse’s base with big eyes. “While this place is gorgeous, even if it’s no mountain, you gotta get out of it.”</p><p>Impulse’s face burned. He knew he was closing himself off, but what else was he supposed to do? His head wouldn’t stop hurting, he missed Tango and was worried about him, and the man couldn’t focus with his mind in a place like that! So what if his productivity had slowed down and Impulse was passing the days by laying in bed?</p><p>“I know just what to do if we’re gonna cheer you up.” Zedaph smiled, digging through his bag and smacking a diamond helmet over his curls. “You, me, some armor, a few swords, the Nether, and eventually, Tango.”</p><p>“Xisuma would kill us.” Impulse said.</p><p>Zedaph shrugged. “Grian is probably fine with it. And he’s the only Admin at the moment…”</p><p>“I guess it couldn’t hurt…”</p><p>That’s how the two ended up in the Nether. They may had been more prepared than False, with more food and better weapons and gear, but they had even less of a plan than she did. At the time she found them mucking around in the soulsand valley, the pair’s big idea was to find Tango and bring him back home. They hadn’t even considered he may be taken prisoner, or brainwashed, or perhaps didn’t <em>want</em> to go back to the Hermits.</p><p>And for False, well, she couldn’t believe was she was hearing as the three of them sat on the forest floor. She looked to her two friends with big eyes and snorted a little. “You really just… ran in here swords a blazing?”</p><p>“Hey,” Impulse grinned, patting the hilt of his sword. “Swords <em>and </em>axes blazing.”</p><p>“So what do we do?” Asked False. “Keep going?”</p><p>“I think it’s our only choice.” Shrugged Zedaph.</p><p>And because it was, in fact, their only choice, the three kicked open their elytras. False was low on rockets so Impulse gave her some of his, but the three had to fly over the soulsand valley considering there was no easy way to get around it. The blue fire was intriguing, much like the giant bones. False couldn’t look at them for long without getting panicked and Zedaph kept getting too close for comfort. Flying perfectly straight, eyes trained ahead was none other than Impulse. He would laugh at Zedaph’s flashy flying (it was actually very wobbly) and twist in circles around False if she went quiet for too long. The valley seemed to stretch on forever.</p><p>“This is astounding.” False said, voice stuck in the back of her throat as she looked around the strange landscape. “It doesn’t even feel like the same place.”</p><p>“I know,” Said Zedaph. “Imagine building a base in the Nether. It would be so cool. You know what- I’m moving my base to the Nether.”</p><p>“No you’re not, Zed,” Impulse smiled despite himself and tried to peer into the blue mist swirling through the canyon. “This place is crazy. It doesn’t even feel like the Nether. Do you all think anything could live here? Like, if you built a base with farms and everything.”</p><p>“Judging by the giant ribcages,” Zedaph said. “it’s a big no.”</p><p>“Oh, there has to be something!” Added False. She dipped her wings and soared only a few feet above the soulsand, watching the faces slowly moving, gaping eyes and mouths twisting and swirling and moaning. She bit her lip and tilted back up before she was sucked in. “You know what, I take that back. Soulsand gives me the creeps.”</p><p>“Tango told me about this sort of place the first time I had to come down here and get him, last year. I was looking for him in one of the Nether fortresses, because I didn’t really know where else he could be, and I saw him fighting a bunch of wither skeletons.” Impulse smiled at the memory. “He got so mad when I came and kicked their butts and saved him.”</p><p>It had been a weird time then, too. Tango had been gone for several months (but at least that time he had warned them), Zed was traveling apart from the Hermits, and Impulse was keeping his head down and getting his work done after throwing enough pranks to literally start a war. At that point he missed the other members of Team ZIT and decided to make it his job to get them back. He knew Tango’s approximate location so he went there first, diving into the Nether and beginning to explore the wastelands endlessly.</p><p>He almost died about a dozen times but as his hearts dwindled it always felt like something gave him that final kick and spurred him on to keep going and find Tango. By the time Impulse had found Tango in that Nether fortress he had been to six others, all empty other than angry blazes and wither skeletons (Impulse made about five beacons when he got home). The hug he shared with Tango after the last wither skeleton fell was the best in his life, seriously, because he was so tired, and had missed his friend so much. It was the best day of the last season, no matter how many pranks Impulse pulled or competitions he won.</p><p>It was a long walk back to the Hermits. What was there for them to do but catch each other up on everything that had happened to them while apart?</p><p>Impulse told Tango about his redstone projects and Grian’s weird behavior (which later led to Demise) and rumors of other returning Hermits and Area 77 and becoming a hippie and all around how crazy Hermitcraft had been in Tango’s absence.</p><p>Tango told Impulse about his work for his family. He had been summoned home (which Impulse knew was deeper in the Nether but not <em>this</em> deep) and asked to take care of Nether fortresses that had become overrun with the undead. He had been working outwards back towards Hermitcraft, and since Impulse had cleared out the others, he was free to go home.</p><p>And with the friends caught up, there wasn’t much else to talk about, and a whole lot of walking ahead of them. Impulse shared some more random stories from years past, and Tango told Impulse what the man had originally thought were old myths. Endless caverns that sucked souls. Trees red like blood. Blue mushrooms five times the size of a person. Impulse hadn’t seen any giant blue mushrooms yet but he was sure he would. Tango has also talked about giant caves of black and grey stone, a place where only the toughest of creatures could survive, where low souls were left after committing only the worst of crimes.</p><p>With that memory back in the front of his brain, Impulse was really hoping he wouldn’t see it.</p><p>In the quiet of the Nether, with only the sound of roiling heat and rockets to distract him, Impulse chided himself for writing off the strange lands tango had told him about as myths. When he had first met Tango, he had thought demons were extinct. When Tango went back home, Impulse was shocked to hear Tango wasn’t the last one. And Impulse spent so much time in the Nether gathering quartz and wither skulls one could think that he would have seen a demon sooner, right? He felt like an idiot then, flying through the haze of the soulsand valley.</p><p>Zedaph flew next to Impulse, so close they were almost touching, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet like he didn’t want False to hear. “I’m sorry for being gone so long, Impulse.”</p><p>Taking a deep breath, Impulse nodded to Zedaph before turning to look ahead again. “It’s okay.”</p><p>“Guys, look,” False broke through their shared silence, pointing in the distance. The valley ended, thank god, and there was a small bunch of red trees that stretched out around a swell of blue plant life. Past that, however, was a giant lava lake. “We should land for a bit and see if there’s a way around.”</p><p>The three fell into a steep dive, pulling up to land in the small strip of crimson forest. The same smell as before struck False, making her gag and pinch her nose. Impulse and Zedaph reacted similarly, coughing and gagging as they peered through the trees of the forest. Bravely, the walked in despite the smell, and what was littered on the ground other than crumbled pieces of concrete, cracking diamond armor, a totem of undying, random pieces of redstone, and a trail of concrete dust. Impulse ran through the red trees in search of his friend, False scooping up the totem of undying and clipping it to her belt and running forwards to catch up with him and Zedaph.</p><p>“Oh my god,” Impulse murmured.</p><p>“I think I’m going to be sick.” Zedaph gasped, turning away and leaning his forehead against the nearest glowing tree trunk as his breakfast tried to make itself known.</p><p>False looked at the footprints left in the mossy ground and scowled. The prints were so similar to the ones she saw of Impulse and Zedaph when they had hunted the pig-looking thing from before. There were no signs of running however, only dozens of small hoof prints running away. In the center of it all was a rotting carcass, decomposition only sped up by the rancid heat of the Nether. Impulse offered Zedaph a sip of his regeneration potion and led the man away as False turned up her nose at the dead thing and crept closer to examine what had happened to it.</p><p>A sword had left those cuts. Or. Something long and sharp. False swallowed as the thought of claws made her gag and she quickly caught up with Impulse and Zedaph. The other man’s colour had returned with a sip of the potion and False took enough deep breaths to thoroughly scorch her lungs and quell her rolling stomach.</p><p>“Lets, uh, lets keep going.” Impulse said, looking shaken. Zedaph only nodded and False took it upon herself to take the lead, walking towards the lava lake through the strange blue forest.</p><p>That’s when she saw the strange creatures. Their fins and big bodies and lack of necks or heads, really. Their legs were pretty long but stubby and when they walked, they wobbled. Strangest thing was, they were standing on lava, waddling back and forth peacefully. The group edged closer cautiously, waiting for one to notice them and begin attacking. But no, the creatures were completely calm, bobbing along and making soft, scratchy noises.</p><p>“Weird things aside,” Impulse said, digging through his bag. “I packed tons of fire resistance potions. We could probably try to swim through.”</p><p>“That makes me nervous.” False frowned, walking around the soulsand shore and peeking at the lava like it could change under her grand scrutiny. Then again, fire resistance was her best bet and she wasn’t exactly in the place to turn any idea down.</p><p>“Woah!” Zedaph’s bubbly laugh rang through the air as the man climbed on top of the creature. He gripped with his legs and wobbled dangerously, but once he was on, he was on, moving precariously over the lava as the creature happily trotted here and there.</p><p>“Zedaph!” False squeaked, stepping closer and gasping as she almost walked into the soulsand.</p><p>“What are you doing!?” Impulse panicked, waves of anxiety crashing down on him as the creature walked further onto the lava lake with Zedaph on it’s back.</p><p>“I’m fine!” Zedaph giggled, pumping his fists into the air. “This! Is! So! Cool!”</p><p>With an annoyed groan, Impulse downed a fire resistance potion. The bitter liquid burned on the way down and a wave of fever washed over Impulse. He hesitated before leaping into the lava (no matter how many times he does this it’s still terribly scary), fishing a lead from his bag and tossing it around the creature. With Zedaph’s help, the thing was wrestled onto a lead. Impulse led it and Zedaph back to shore where False was waiting before tossing a fire resistance at the two of them, so if Zedaph fell he would be safe and False could swim next to him.</p><p>Still holding the lead, Impulse began swimming. No matter how many strength and resistance potions one could drink, climbing out of lava after even a short bit of swimming, you’d feel dead. The swim ahead was endless and she was sure she would be exhausted when they got out. Alas, walking was not an option since the walls of the Nether arched over the lava lake and they were low on rockets for flying. Sighing, False slid into a breast stroke and began following Impulse through the lake to a hopefully near shore.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter Fifteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Grian: False!!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: Impulse!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: Zedaph!!!!!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: Where are you!?!? I see your communicators!!1 Why are you in the Nether!?!!?</em>
</p><p>False smiled sheepishly at her communicator, laying on her back on the Netherack as she and Impulse caught their breaths. Impulse glanced at his next and let out a laugh which led to a cough, intense shivers washing over them as the fire resistance potion began working its way out of their systems. It was never a pleasant feeling and always left one cold afterwards, but at least being about ten feet from a literal lake of lava would warm them up quickly.</p><p>Still atop his strange beast, Zedaph was riding over the lava happily. His potion had worn off about half way through the swim since the potion hadn’t reached him very well and while it was very scary the man obviously survived on the back of the tethered creature. His laughter and giggles echoed through the canyon the party had found themselves in as False and Impulse caught their breath.</p><p>“Should we respond?” Impulse asked.</p><p>With a shrug, False ran the pad of her thumb over the buttons. “I feel like we have to, don’t you?”</p><p>
  <em>FalseSymmetry: We’re fine. Getting Tango back</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: Do you realize how much trouble you’re in???</em>
</p><p>
  <em>ImpulseSV: sorry lol??</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: Come home NOW! It’s not safe and Xisuma isn’t even back from the End yet!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: Just got back actually</em>
</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: WHY ARE YOU IN THE NETHER</em>
</p><p>“Sheesh.” Swallowed Impulse.</p><p>“We’re so dead.” Agreed False.</p><p>“Guys look!” Zedaph gasped. False and Impulse sat up to see Zedaph jumping off the back of his new pet, it’s stumpy feet firmly on the netherack. Its red complexion had gone purplish blue and was shaking terribly. Luckily, once it wobbled back onto the lava, the creature stopped shaking and slowly regained its red colour. “Weird.”</p><p>“Check your communicator Zed.” Impulse snorted, looking back down. His heart sank.</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: I will come get the three of you right now if you don’t get back home now</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: You’re putting everyone in danger</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: Especially yourselves</em>
</p><p>
  <em>FalseSymmetry: We couldn’t wait anymore</em>
</p><p>
  <em>FalseSymmetry: I’d also like to add I got roped into this I thought Impulse and Zed were dead</em>
</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: What!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>FalseSymmetry: :0 we’re fine</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Grian: please come home</em>
</p><p>
  <em>TangoTek: Get out of demon territory. Now.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>ImpulseSV: Tango where are you dude</em>
</p><p>
  <em>XisumaVoid: that’s it. don’t move.</em>
</p><p>“I think we should move, guys.” Zedaph said distantly.</p><p>“You feeling up to it?” Impulse asked, looking over to False, who with less food and preparation had been shaky before a giant swim through a huge lava lake.</p><p>“I’m past the worst of it,” The warrior replied, climbing to her feet and begrudgingly putting her armor back on. Impulse followed in suit and Zedaph sadly waved goodbye to his pet since it was clear the thing wouldn’t survive without lava, walking towards his friends. They had to keep pressing forwards, and that they did, reinvigorated by the knowledge that not only was Tango still alive somewhere, but if Xisuma caught up to them they would be in trouble.</p><p>The Admin could obviously teleport right to them and be done with it, but he would need an exact coordinate, and if the party moved around enough it would be harder for him to formulate the code that would get him to exactly where they were, hopefully buying them the time to get to Tango.</p><p>“I mean, if he’s telling us to leave, must mean we’re close,” Said Zedaph, still scowling at his communicator. “Lets be honest with ourselves, the man probably feels cornered! All like aaah guys get out of my space, right?”</p><p>“Right,” Impulse chuckled, smacking Zedaph on the back. “Just what I was thinking dude.”</p><p>“He’s probably right. We wouldn’t be a threat if we were heading the wrong way.” False added. “Xisuma wouldn’t be so worried, either. If we can get in, get out, and find Tango quickly, Xisuma will get here and be able to take all four of us back.”</p><p>“Hopefully,” Said Impulse.</p><p>“Hopefully,” Affirmed Zedaph.</p><p>----------</p><p> “Oh goodness me this cannot be happening this cannot be happening,” Hissed Xisuma, raking through his chests for rockets and food and perhaps some leads to tie the stupid Hermits up with once he got his <em>hands </em>on them how could they be so <em>stupid</em>.</p><p>Watching him rush and tear through his chests was Grian. The smaller Admin looked about ready to die, face flushed red with embarrassment and shame and wings twitching so violently on his back from nerves one could have assumed he was trying to take off. “X I am so, so sorry, I was helping Xb with a weird glitch and I didn’t notice but there weren’t even any messages to go from-”</p><p>“I can’t believe this Grian!” Xisuma snarled over his shoulder and threw open another chest, rummaging around for any spare potions that could be of help. “I leave for what- two days at most you’ve lost <em>three Hermits!</em> What in the world could have led to this!?”</p><p>“I- I’m sorry!” Cried Grian, trying to defend himself. His right leg wouldn’t stop bouncing and he was wringing his hands together so hard they were beginning to ache. “It was a mistake!”</p><p>“A mistake!?” Snorted X, slamming the chest shut and moving onto another. He held open his bag and begun filling it with strength and weakness and fire resistance and invisibility. The Admin even saw the green shimmer of one of Scar’s luck crystals and decided it couldn’t get any worse and snatched it up. “A mistake is typing code incorrectly. Letting three Hermits go into the Nether, the one place they’re not allowed, after I’ve been gone for only a few hours, that is <em>unforgivable </em>my friend! You <em>saw </em>what the Nether has turned into I can’t believe you could be so <em>stupid</em> as to-”</p><p>“<em>Stop!</em>” Grian sobbed, and Xisuma did. The Voidkind was stuck hunched over his chest, unable to move. Everything else in the room stopped too, the hum of redstone went quiet, the chest lid no longer obeyed gravity, the sound of the jungle outside died. As quickly as the spell took hold, it was dropped. Xisuma reared around to face Grian and saw the younger Admin standing there with wide eyes, glowing purple, fear written over his expression to the point the man looked on the verge of a panic attack. “X, I- oh, Xisuma, I am so sorry, I- I-” Grian dropped his head, big tears welling in his eyes as he gasped for air and looked down at himself like he was unsure what had just happened.</p><p>Xisuma knew the grasp of that magic anywhere. Void magic. He knew Grian possessed it, but not the amount needed to make his eyes glow purple.</p><p>The colour faded from Grian as fast as it appeared and Xisuma swallowed hard. “I’m sorry.” He said, voice quiet. Maybe he was being too harsh on Grian.</p><p>“<em>No,</em>” Grian hissed. “I’m sorry. You trusted me and I let you down.”</p><p>“Well, I’m going to have to trust you again, my friend,” Said Xisuma. Perhaps bitterly, because he was still very angry, but the Admin knew he had to keep a steady temper at all times. Anger would get them no where. “you stay here. I am going to get the other three, you stay here.”</p><p>Grian barely found it in himself to nod. He didn’t look at Xisuma again as he spread his wings and began twisting towards the flight windows of Xisuma’s base.</p><p>The Voidkind sighed and slumped into himself, rubbing at his eyes before turning back to the chests and beginning his search for more resources once more. The sound of flight, of wings cutting through air, came from above and Xisuma sighed, waiting for Grian to speak. The Admin still searched through his chests for the Nether potions he had brewed a few days before, hoping they would be of help. He started towards his brewer and saw a puddle of… something around the corner.</p><p>“Ah, Xisuma?” Bdubs said from behind him.</p><p>The voice Xisuma wasn’t expecting startled the Admin enough to make him jump and turn around, narrowing his eyes at Bdubs, Doc, and Etho. Seeing three fourths of the NHO in his base at a time like this was nothing but foreboding. “What can I do for you my friends? I’m in a bit of a pinch at the moment.”</p><p>“We want to help.” Doc said. “You shouldn’t go on your own. Bdubs and I know that False and Impulse are in the Nether.”</p><p>“I’m just dipping in, grabbing the three, and coming back,” Sighed Xisuma, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He noticed the three already had their bags, full of travelling supplies no doubt.</p><p>“Three?” Echoed Bdubs.</p><p>“But what if we have a chance of getting Tango back?” Asked Etho. Xisuma frowned then, because he hadn’t really considered it until then. All he knew was the message Tango had sent was incredibly suss. “I think you’d be happier to have back up when you need it rather than need it and regret not bringing some totally capable fighters on this adventure with you.”</p><p>“This isn’t an adventure.” Xisuma deadpanned.</p><p>“I don’t think that’s what uuh, what Etho is trying to say X,” Bdubs frowned, taking a small step closer. “These are our friends too. You’re our friend. And I don’t think any of us would be able to forgive ourselves if we let you go in all on your own and come back hurt, or missing someone, or you know, not come back.”</p><p>“It’s not like Etho is a capable fighter anyway.” Doc smirked. “Morale support, maybe.”</p><p>He winced when Etho elbowed him, but he also deserved it. Xisuma snorted and rubbed at his face again, sighing under his breath. “My friends, I appreciate the offers, I really do, but I’m more inclined to go on my own. I really think I’ll be in and out and then, perhaps when I go back for Tango after we have gathered more information <em>safely, </em>then you three can come with me and bring him home.”</p><p>“I mean, when do we know when we’ll have another chance?” Asked Etho. “How do we know this isn’t our only shot?”</p><p>“All in!” Beamed Bdubs. He wrapped his arms around Etho’s and Doc’s necks, wrestling them down to his height and shooting Xisuma a mischievous grin. “We gotta go all in as a, as a <em>team</em>! If we walk in and out, we could miss our only chance to get Tango back. C’mon Xisuma you know we’re right.”</p><p>“I know you’re prone to putting yourselves in harms way. I’m sorry my friends, but the answer is no.” Xisuma walked around his friends and towards his portal, leaving them behind with a heavy heart. He couldn’t afford anyone else getting hurt. Anger twisted in his gut and sadness constricted his chest and Xisuma wanted one, just <em>one</em> month without the world literally trying to end around him.</p><p>Xisuma lifted his hand to pull down the wooden signs covering his portal and stopped. There were no signs. When he scowled at the obsidian, he saw that the ends of the signs remained where someone’s claws had torn through the wood. At his feet was the splinters and chunks that had fallen as the sign was shredded. On the edges of the signs still hanging and the larger chunks on the ground, Xisuma could see the gouges of claws. So that’s how Tango first got into the Nether. He was really feeling sick then. If he had been there Tango wouldn’t have been able to get past him and he wouldn’t be gone oh goodness it was all his fault why did he hell at Grian-</p><p>“You know, X,” Doc said from behind him. Xisuma sighed and smacked his forehead into the obsidian frame of the Nether portal. “We could just… wait for you to go… and then follow you. We don’t really need your permission…”</p><p>Xisuma slammed his forehead into the obsidian harder and sighed once more. “<em>Fine.</em>”</p><p>“Haha! Yes yes yes yes!” Bdubs chanted, giving Etho a tight squeeze and making a beeline towards the portal. With a tired chuckle, Xisuma caught him by the back of his shirt and pulled the man away from the swirling purple eyes.</p><p>For a second, Doc could have sworn he saw one blink. He was taken back to the thought of his infinity portal, but when he blinked, the eyes were the regular roiling purple.</p><p>“I go in first.” Said Xisuma, dipping into the portal.</p><p>As the magic overtook the Voidkind Admin, the Hermits watched. Xisuma disappeared into the purple and the three present members of the NHO jumped in after him, being zipped away to the Nether after him. The magic made them nauseous and the bright purple light was blinding but they were all so used to the Nether travel it didn’t hurt as much anymore.</p><p>And as they were whisked away to Nether, no one could hear the black obsidian frame in Xisuma’s base creak. They couldn’t see the magic of the portal shoot into the grains of the obsidian, making the frame look like it was crying. Once a single part of the frame had been infected, the purple eyes of the Nether portal blinked, closed, and disappeared.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter Sixteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello my dearest readers! I finished the book yesterday so now I have the pleasure of updating every day! Don't worry about the book ending in the next few days, because there is still much, much to come ;) I didn't expect this book to get as long as it did but I really hope that everyone is still enjoying it and knows that I really appreciate all of the support for my writing. Comments make my day. Y'all are lovely.</p><p>And uuuh y'all said u wanted to see some magic Grian sooo :////</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Grian dive bombed into his nook of the forest, landing heavily next to his villager trading hall with a thunk. Panting, he shakily folded his wings and ran into his hobbit hole, digging through his chests for a piece of glass. As he glared at his reflection Grian gasped a breath of relief, the purple tint from his vision not gone but the glow faded. He fell onto his back in the middle of his tiny storage system, gasping for air that didn’t want to come and shivering like he could die.</p><p>His communicator beeped and Grian ignored it. It beeped again and he refused to check. He was trying to get his breath back on the floor of his hobbit hole, wings spread out and leaning on the chests since he didn’t really fit with his wingspan and all.</p><p>Unfortunately, that’s when the clanging of his messaging system started.</p><p>With a moan, Grian rolled onto his stomach. His head was swimming with the pressure of unshed tears and his chest felt tight but the clanging bell certainly wasn’t helping, so it had to be dealt with. Grian stumbled through his base and twisted around the corner, frowning at the complete spoon sitting in a minecart, grinning at him from where the tracks had parked him.</p><p>“M… Mumbo, what are you doing?” Grian asked, pounding head thankful when Mumbo hopped out of the minecart and pushed it away from the detector rail. The ringing bell became nothing more than a heady vibration still rattling in Grian’s skull.</p><p>“I come with news!” Mumbo declared, smoothing back his hair (it felt weird for it to be brushed back again) and adjusting his suit jacket, it’s fit much more comfortable than that of his hobbit jacket. Grian sighed and rubbed his face, nodding along, waiting for Mumbo to tell him there was another glitch that Grian would have to fix and would result in him missing more important information and Xisuma getting mad at him. Now Grian knew how Xisuma felt when he denied people who asked him if he was tired. Mumbo was still smiling though, fiddling with his hands. “Now, it pains me to say this… and I just thought to tell you… well, oh- Grian, are you feeling well dude?”</p><p>The Admin swallowed around the lump in his throat and smiled. “Yes, yeah, I’m the best. What do you need to tell me?” He was used to causing trouble, not the other way around. Mumbo had really usurped his role this season.</p><p>“Well, I was going to say you’re the only hobbit- I’m, I’m moving out of my hobbit hole dude.” Mumbo walked up to Grian and began to very bodily inspect him, prying Grian’s drooping eyes open and checking his injured wing and ruffling his messy hair. “Tell me what’s wrong, Grian.”</p><p>The mustached man felt his heart break when Grian stuttered on his breath, tears springing to his eyes again. Grian’s face was burning and he covered it with his hands, curling his wings tight around himself like they could protect him from everything happening in Hermitcraft. Mumbo chewed on his lip before carefully trying to push some feathers out of the way so he could hug his friend, wrapping his arms around Grian gingerly and pulling him closer.</p><p>The smaller man choked on a sob and curled his wings around the both of them as he tucked his arms to his chest and hid his face again. Mumbo could only frown and rub Grian’s back, gently trying to quiet him because- well- Mumbo wasn’t very well-versed in what he was meant to do when his best friends started sobbing into his shoulder.</p><p>“Grian, dude, hey,” Mumbo said, voice soft. “Blimey, what’s going on?”</p><p>“I-” Grian cut himself off to gasp for air, forcing it out like it was hurting him, squeezing more air into his lungs in a wheeze. He shook his head and pushed his fists into his eyes as he tucked his wings behind himself again and Mumbo stepped back to give him some space. Grian felt so <em>small.</em> He wanted to speak but the lump in his throat was only bigger so Grian tried to clear his throat, throwing him into a coughing fit that just made Mumbo more and more concerned. “Some, oh <em>wow</em>, some people went into the Nether while Xisuma was gone and he’s mad at me and I understand that it’s my fault but I freaked out and, and something <em>happened</em> and my eyes, my eyes started glowing like they did when, when <em>they</em> had control over me and it was, it was-”</p><p>“Grian,” Mumbo swallowed, grabbing Grian’s shoulders. The smaller man made a pitiful sound and stared at the floor, tears trailing down his face. “oh, Grian. Don’t do this to yourself mate.”</p><p>“Do it to myself?” Grian echoed. “Trust me, if I could scrub this magic out of me <em>I would</em>.”</p><p>“No- Grian- not that. I know you have no control over what happened to you.” Mumbo scowled. Grian almost flinched and smeared the back of his hand over his wet face with a heavy-set pout. Mumbo brought Grian over to where the floor went down a step and sat there with him with a quiet “C’mere,”, tugging on Grian’s sweater to encourage the man to lean on him. “You can’t keep beating yourself up over something you can’t control is what I mean. And I’m real pants at that, with redstone and all, its pants it is, but- okay, that isn’t the point.”</p><p>Grian giggled against Mumbo shoulder’s, igniting a blush in Mumbo’s face and making the taller man sigh. “You and Xisuma are incredibly stressed. He lashed out; you had a spoon moment. Neither of you can be blamed and neither of you should be beating yourselves up over it.” Mumbo pat Grian on the back and frowned softly. “And Grian? You’ve been through a lot. Everyone knows and everyone loves you. You don’t have to keep it built up until it comes out the wrong way.”</p><p>“I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Grian whispered. He sounded haunted. “I know I can’t control it.”</p><p>“You won’t hurt anyone.” Mumbo promised.</p><p>“I hurt you!” Grian said, turning to meet Mumbo’s eye for the first time. “I almost killed you Mumbo! And the, the only way I saved you was because I lost control again!”</p><p>Mumbo pushed himself away from Grian just a little bit, leaning his back on the wall and pulling on the collar of his suit. He had changed before coming to see Grian since the entire reason he was there was for the whole hobbit thing. Unfortunately, after spending so long in that weird hobbit coat, Mumbo was finding that the scar on his neck was rubbing against his shirt collar too often. “Well it obviously can’t be that awful when you lose control if I’m alive because of it.”</p><p>“But those things can control <em>me!</em>” Grian snapped. His eyes flashed purple and he choked on another cry, pushing his fists back into his eyes and curling up. He punched the wall next to him, the wood creaking as it split. Grian slumped into the dented wood and let out a shaky sob.</p><p>“What can control you Grian?”</p><p>“The- the demons.” Grian sniffled. “The queen was controlling me until Xisuma teleported us out of there. I’m scared that if- if I’m not careful then I’m going to be someone’s puppet again.”</p><p>“Blimey dude.” Mumbo sighed, shifting closer to give Grian another hug. “You can’t be thinking like that all of the time. It’ll drive you downright insane.”</p><p>“I can’t stop.” Said Grian.</p><p>“As much as you don’t believe it you are in control of yourself Gri.” Promised Mumbo. “You’ve had a rough start but this is <em>your </em>life. You’re a good Admin and a fantastic builder. I’m not going to let you waste yourself away worrying about things that are out of your power when you are truly one of the most terrifying people I know. You’re going to be fine, mate.”</p><p>“I sure hope so.”</p><p>“You know what?” Mumbo smirked, jumping to his feet. “I know just the man who can help us.”</p><p>“Oh no.” Grian murmured.</p><p>“He’s just across the lake. C’mon mate, on your feet, let’s go! I Hermit Challenge you! You have been Hermit Challenged!”</p><p>This resulted in Grian standing in Scar’s backyard, the wizard looking up at the Magic Machine Cub had built him a few weeks before. Ever since the fight with the Amendments, Scar had moved past all his hesitations when it came to magic. He was a force to be reckoned with and successfully taught Cub his magic, so of course Mumbo thought to bring Grian to Scar. Even though their magic was completely different. <em>Oh, this will go so well,</em> Grian thought bitterly as Scar beamed before him.</p><p>“G-Man! Oh, I’d be happy to help you out!” Scar smiled, turning towards the big obsidian wall littered with dispensers. “Show me what you got!”</p><p>“I-” Grian shuffled under the scrutiny of Mumbo and Scar. “I can’t really- summon the- the void magic I can’t control. I can do Admin magic just fine but void magic is… it just happens when I’m stressed, or scared, or just…”</p><p>From atop Larry’s shell, Mumbo called down “Just give it a shot! You’ll be fine!” He cried, swinging his legs like a child.</p><p>Scar shot Grian a grin from under his beard, rocking on his heels as he looked between Grian and Cub’s fantastical contraption. “That’s alright Grian. I’ll be honest I’m not as well versed in void magic as lovely Xisuma Void but I’m sure we can work something out. Magic is very fluid and won’t flow unless you give it a path. I think you’re just a little clogged up!”</p><p>Even though he grimaced at the phrasing, Grian couldn’t say it didn’t make sense to him. Whenever he did cast, the magic felt like it was searing through his veins and rocketing out where he felt the weakest. “Okay… So how do I… unclog… my magic?”</p><p>“I don’t know!” Smiled Scar, flicking open his elytra and flying to sit on Larry’s shell with Mumbo. “That’s the beauty of magic. Maybe if I just turn on Cubby’s machine, we can get something going!”</p><p>“I-I mean… whatever you think works!” Grian laughed nervously, looking at the obsidian wall that protected Larry to the obsidian wall that had dispensers sticking out of it. The whole machine was either obsidian or redstone. The caster stood in a ‘u’ shaped obsidian box and behind one of the walls was a redstone clock that would fire things like weakness potions and fire charges. A bunch of levers decided how fast the dispensers would discharge their attacks to provide separate levels of difficulty. Scar was really hoping neither Grian nor Mumbo saw him flick the lever for level one.</p><p>With a flick of his hand, the wizard triggered the machine’s start. Grian, who had been bracing himself, could hear the now familiar sound of redstone firing and swallowed hard as something red began to burn in the mouth of one of the dispensers.</p><p>A fire charge launched out and Grian ducked, curling his wings around himself and rolling out of the way. As he jumped up, a splash potion with a murky grey colour was flying towards him, so Grian used the momentum of standing to push himself off the ground, flying over the bottle and landing. The twang of an arrow sounded and Grian’s cheek burned with a graze, the arrow thudding into the obsidian behind him. Grian swallowed before letting out a yelp as an undetected fire charge exploded next to him and threw him to the other side of the obsidian platform, leaving a scrape on his arm and letting himself trample his wing.</p><p>“Grian!” Mumbo gasped, jumping off Larry and opening his elytra in the nick of time while Scar flicked his hand and switched off the machine, he too hopping down to inspect the damage. “Are you okay dude?”</p><p>“I’m fine!” Grian huffed, sitting up and wincing as his arm stung. Mumbo watched with wide eyes as the red skin tinted purple like it was bruising before fading back into Grian’s skin tone, no evidence of the road rash left. None the same was to be said of the cut on Grian’s cheek, the blood welling and beginning to streak, but when Scar came over with his healing crystal Grian gingerly held him back. “I’m fine guys. Thank you. Scar- maybe if, if you turn up the speed or whatever I won’t have the option to dodge anymore and the magic can start flowing.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Said the two looming over him in unison.</p><p>Grian barked out a laugh and let Mumbo haul him to his feet, nodding. “Positive. Come on. This is magic class, not scarper away class.”</p><p>After sharing a glance, Mumbo flew back onto Larry’s back and Scar shuffled behind the machine to adjust the difficulty. Once he was on Larry with Mumbo, the wizard began fidgeting. Below them Grian was shaking himself off, smoothing his hair out of his face and turning towards the wall of dispensers like they had offended him. They had, really, and Grian was going to show them who’s boss with some epic void magic that he totally had control over. Totally. Totally had control over. Just unclogging his magic, right? <em>Stop thinking too hard about it</em>, Grian chided himself, giving Scar a thumb’s up as his cheek throbbed with his pounding heart.</p><p>“You don’t have to prove anything!” Scar shouted down as he flicked his wrist.</p><p>“Oh yes I do.” Grian growled under his breath, two potions being launched towards him at once.  Grian was willing to admit he wasn’t prepared for that and hissed when the potions broke at his feet and he was stuck moving about a mile an hour. Still, the Admin pushed on, crouching under a fire charge and lifting his hand to blast back another to his right.</p><p>The magic he knew brewed within him began to coil, shifting down his arm like thousands of snakes under his skin, but where it was meant to erupt from his palm it just- stopped. Grian looked at his palm before yelping as the fire charge passed him, singeing his sweater, and exploded against the obsidian wall behind him, launching the man closer to the dangerous dispensers.</p><p>Of course, that’s when a harming potion fired right into Grian’s face, blinding him as sharp pain shot through him and began to burn his chest. The smell was sulphuric and hurt to breathe like the air of the Nether, scorching his lungs and filling his mind with the memories of that stupid demon and her teasing smirk watching him just hand over his communicator like a fool. Grian thought about how rigid he felt when higher powers decided it was time to play puppet with him, how much it hurt to move like that, the tension he held even when he had no control. As he spat out the harming potion that had fallen on his lips some scorched his tongue and its effects began to rack his body as another fire charge screamed and an arrow whizzed past.</p><p>In the cacophony of noise, Grian snarled, took all the tension those monsters had built in him and finally let it go. The pain of the harming potion faded. His stinging cheek stitched itself back together. His arm stopped burning, his knees stopped aching, the ringing in his head ceased, and his wings flared open in a clear warning.</p><p>When the man opened his eyes, everything was purple for just a moment. Blinking the colour away, Grian saw with big eyes that whatever magic he had just used disabled the redstone of Cub’s machine by slicing through the obsidian wall.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter Seventeen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“The longer it takes Xisuma to get here, the more nervous I’m getting.” Zedaph said, tugging on his restraints again.</p><p>“No kidding.” Impulse grunted, looking around the dark room. Silence fell over the three again as a blanket of fear and outside the door or their cell, Impulse swore he could hear a pig. Sure, he didn’t know how long they had been in that cell, but Impulse knew he hadn’t gone that crazy yet.</p><p>How did they get here?</p><p>After passing on from the lava lake, the three had to move quickly to prevent Xisuma from catching up with them. Most conversation fell as quickly as it rose, the three keeping their eyes firmly trained on the path ahead of them an anything that could get in their way or provide clues as to where Tango was.</p><p>Impulse was still investigating his communicator, having opened a private chat with Tango and spent most of the walk trying to make the man respond considering he must still have his communicator. There was no response, only the flashing tick in Impulse’s message box, countless texts sitting in the display that hadn’t been read, hadn’t been answered. The longer Impulse stared at the little screen the harder his heart pounded, and apparently it was showing, because Zedaph drove his elbow into Impulse’s side, making him gasp in pain.</p><p>“What was that for?” Impulse moaned, holding his side where his elytra wings and chest plate didn’t defend him.</p><p>With a shrug, Zedaph gave Impulse a smile and twisted to look between him and False. “Everyone looks so grumpy. It’s going to be fine. He’ll be happy to see us!”</p><p>“I think we’re less worried about what Tango thinks, Zed.” False smiled either way, reaching into her bag to munch on a golden carrot. She was tired as anything but hopefully getting some food in her would have her awake enough for whatever fight laid before them. “Personally, I’m more worried about the other demons who think we’re lowly mortals.”</p><p>“Tch, we’ll be fine.” Tsked Zedaph, bouncing towards the netherack cliff face rising before them. He began heaving himself up the strange terrain, used to the steep climb thanks to his mountain, turning and helping False and Impulse up. When he yanked Impulse onto the next ledge, he smirked big and proud. “You’ll get your land legs back eventually.”</p><p>“Oh be quiet,” Hissed the man with the ocean base, shuffling past Zedaph and making a point to get himself onto the next lip by himself even if he struggled a little.</p><p>Above them both was False, hands on her hips, smirk on her face. “I’m sorry you two, this is no race. And if, <em>if</em> it was, I would smoke the both of you.”</p><p>“Oh yeah?” Zedaph sneered.</p><p>Impulse grinning and dug his feet into the next foothold. “Let’s go!”</p><p>At that point, the three of the adventurers had made it about halfway up the jutting cliff. Now that they were racing, False was jumping from ledge to ledge and letting her elytra catch her when she slipped. The three were giggling and laughing, yelling as they tugged on each other to try and get the edge, but eventually Zedaph’s mountain base truly helped him scale the cliff and he jumped over the peak with a loud, victorious cry of “Yaaaay! Zed-aph! Zed-aph! Zed-ahH!”</p><p>Impulse and False shared a worried glance before picking up their speed. No longer did they tug at each other to slow them down, but to speed them up, rushing towards the peak as they heard the sound of Zedaph struggling and their poor friend shouting. “Hey- woah!<em> Excuse</em> me, let go of me you bony bag of bricks!”</p><p>“Crap crap crap crap,” Impulse hissed, heaving himself over the cliff and reaching down to give False the final tug to get up with him. On the top of the cliff (which had been obscured from down below by said cliff), was a giant Nether Fortress. It was surprisingly close to the edge and False’s sinking heart told her all the noise they had made alerted everyone in that stupid place that they were on their way and coming to get Tango back, probably. The building was absolutely ginormous, a ruined black foundation holding up tall, netherack and obsidian arches that led into the hallways of the place. On the exposed walkway of the defensive towers, False could see wither skeleton guards, all watching them, some with bows posed. <em>Bows. </em>Crossbows, even!</p><p>Two of them had come to investigate the noise and were wrestling with Zedaph. Impulse and False couldn’t decide what was worse, these things attacking them with their crazy strength and epic swords, or the skeletons making a point trying not to hurt Zedaph too… take him inside as prisoner?</p><p>Unfortunately, that was exactly what was happening, one of the ridiculously tall skeletons putting its sword to Zedaph’s neck and pinning the man to its ribcage. Zedaph grunted and snarled as the wither magic dripping from the sword began to stain his neck and chew away at him. The other of the two guards aimed its crossbow for Impulse’s head, expressionless face somehow able to look very, very angry.</p><p>Eyes big and wild with fear, Zedaph let out a pained whine as the wither effect began racking through him. False took a deep breath, shutting her eyes and finding that relaxing place before tackling Zedaph and the skeleton holding him around the waist. Straddling the both of them, she grabbed Zedaph’s shirt, bodily pulling him out of the way, and pulled out her sword to plunge it through the wither skeleton’s skull.</p><p>Zedaph grabbed at his neck as regeneration tried to do its job, hissing in pain as Impulse lunged for the wither skeleton with the crossbow. He was a second too late, and a bolt imbedded itself in the soft, unprotected side of False’s neck. Usually wounds like that didn’t do enough damage to render someone immobile, but Zedaph watched in horror as the girl’s eyes rolled back into her head and she fell onto her side, mouth beginning to foam as black veins of wither magic spread through her, all coming from the golden bolt.</p><p>Impulse slashed the archer down with three strikes of his enchanted sword, panting and heaving as he turned to Zedaph and False. He gingerly pulled False off of Zedaph and began riffling through his bag for a healing potion when the totem of undying at her belt glowed fiercely and Impulse heard someone speaking from high above, their booming voice echoing through the Nether.</p><p>“Drop your weapons, your items, and your armor.” Zedaph and Impulse looked to see none other than Tango. His golden hair was groomed back, flaring eyes glowing bright in the dark of the nether, his strange flowing clothing twisting around him, and he was wearing very weird black and gold armor. Impulse tucked False to his chest as she began to quiver, taking deep breaths as waves of panic began to overtake him. Zedaph shakily stood and Tango snarled, baring long, sharp teeth. The wither skeleton archers surrounding him aimed their crossbows at Zedaph’s head and Tango’s eyes narrowed into red slits of dying flame. “Don’t. Move.”</p><p>“Tango?” Impulse called up, holding False just a little tighter.</p><p>A legion of wither skeletons rained out of the lower gates of the fortress. They marched closer under Tango’s watchful eye, and when Impulse tried to unsheathe his sword to defend himself and False, five crossbow bolts thudded across the blade and knocked it out of his hand. Zedaph was disarmed in a similar fashion and two skeletons wrestled his arms behind his back as five more lurched towards Impulse and False. Zedaph was tied up with crimson vines and False was pulled out of Impulse’s arms, her limp body hanging over one of the skeleton’s shoulders like a rag doll.</p><p>“Put her down!” Impulse gasped, struggling as he too had his wrists bound by thick red vines that burned against his skin. “Let us go! Tango!”</p><p>When Impulse looked to the turret where Tango had been standing moments before and his friend was gone. The skeleton behind Impulse began shoving him forwards and only then did it truly settle in Impulse’s chest that he was being taken prisoner by his best friend. He wriggled and tried to slip his wrists free of the burning ropes but no luck, he and Zedaph were dragged through the halls of the Nether Fortress while False was taken elsewhere, no matter how much Impulse struggled and screamed for her.</p><p>Demons were watching them being dragged away, some curious, some smirking, others looking angry. Impulse and Zedaph shared a glance at two wither skeletons posted at the archway at the end of the hall faced inwards as the others passed. In the room was a long table with several demons sat across from the prisoners. Zedaph shuddered under their stare and a lance when through his heart when he saw Tango, looking far too refined and polished to be Tango, sitting next to a tall woman who was grinning like she could swallow the two humans whole.</p><p>“Welcome little Hermits!” The woman cheered. “I am Tavelia. Head Chair of the High Court. And you are under arrest for trespassing.”</p><p>“What?” Blabbered Zedaph. “Trespassing? How- arrested!? You’ve kidnapped our friend we’re just here to take him home-”</p><p>Tavelia’s slitted nostrils flared as she glared at Zedaph. The man made a strangled noise and when horrendously still before falling to his knees with a broken gasp and a small moan of pain. Impulse began to struggle against his binds again, shuffling closer to Zedaph before the large stone sword of a wither skeleton blocked him. “What are you doing to him!? Stop! Tango- Tango make her stop- leave him alone!”</p><p>Across the table, all the demons at Tavelia’s side were horribly serene. Their grins were wolfish and Impulse’s heart was thundering so loud he swore the creatures could hear it. Tango looked impartial at best as he watched Zedaph quiver on the floor, making high sounds of pain that broke Impulse’s heart. The glow of his eyes pulsed even in the lighting of lava streaking down the walls and weird looking glowstone tucked into the corners. When they stopped pulsing, Impulse saw Tango’s face screw up and his hands, which had peacefully been on the table, begin to ball into fists. His mother gently put her hand over his, and when he turned to her, she only nodded.</p><p>Impulse would have looked further into that, but the second Tavelia’s glare stopped boring into Zedaph the man let out a proper cry and went dead still on the floor other than his heaving chest, rising and falling hard as he sucked in air.</p><p>“Zed, Zed, what’s hurting?” Impulse asked. He could feel eyes clawing into him but he was more worried about his friend then the demons.</p><p>“E-eh-everything.”</p><p>“Let us go! Tango is a Hermit, he will always be a Hermit, he will never, ever be a part of your stupid <em>High Court,</em> our Admin is coming to get us and he will <em>tear you to shreds</em>!” Impulse yelled, rage boiling inside of him hot like fire and sweat beaded on his skin making him feel sick and nauseous but he was just so <em>angry. </em>“We have killed gods three times the size of you! Us Hermits aren’t scared! And Tango <em>is</em> a Hermit!”</p><p>The person who stood to counteract Impulse was not at all who he was expecting. Tango stood from his seat with a snarl, eyes pulsing once more, teeth fully bared as the man’s claws dug into the stone table in front of him. “Shut. Up. Mother, permission?”</p><p>The human let out a shuddering breath. Tavelia only smiled. “Of course my dear boy.”</p><p>“By the decree of the High Court of the Nether, all mortals, Hermit or other, are outlawed from these lands.” Hissed Tango. Impulse had thought it was just the lighting of the Nether, but the man’s skin was red, really red, too red to be human, and something twisted in Impulse when he truly realised it was because Tango wasn’t human. The man had told Impulse once he was always scared that one day he was going to lose his grip on the mortality the Hermits had introduced him too. Impulse felt like today was that day. “Any in violation of this decree will be taken as property of the High Court and sent on trial by the ancient ways.”</p><p>“Ancient ways?” Zedaph groaned as he wrestled himself onto his knees with his hands still tied behind his back.</p><p>Impulse swallowed hard, feeling light headed with how fast his heart was pounding. “Tango.”</p><p>The demon in front of him snarled and looked past the two humans to the guards. “Take them to the girl. Their trial shall be tomorrow. Prepare the court. The little god has arrived.”</p><p>The blank skeletons picked Zedaph off the ground and wrestled Impulse into their arms, shoving the two men back down the hall the way they came. Impulse tired to memorize the turns they took in case he would ever have to run back that way, but the hallways all looked so similar he knew there was no way he could differentiate between them.</p><p>A large black door stood in the center of the hall as Zedaph and Impulse were shoved around a corner. The doors peeled open and inside was a thin walkway. There were no walls, no rails, and when Zedaph made the mistake of glancing down the side, he could feel himself gagging at the criss-cross walkways all dangling precariously over a pit of bubbling lava below. Holes in the walls of what had to a prison of some sort led off in strange directions. The end of the walk way ahead split in half, the left side with stairs going up, right with stairs going down. Impulse and Zedaph were led up the stairs onto the next level. This walkway was pressed up against the walls, the walls eroded naturally. These were cells quite literally carved into a cave, the theory only proven when a wither skeleton holding Impulse stepped away and opened the door, showing a strangely shaped, very drippy cell inside.</p><p>The relief that washed over Impulse at seeing False alive and awake and sort of well was dampened by seeing the chains that awaited them. False’s eyelids fluttered at the sound of the door opening and she made a small groaning sound. Impulse and Zedaph were stripped of their armor and their packs and chained up next to each other on the wall opposite of False. Impulse had never actually seen chains before, only heard of the links that couldn’t be broken like a lead could. The forgeries of the Overworld couldn’t make such fine metal needed. The room was empty other than several more bolts of chains and of course False and Impulse was getting a very bad feeling about everything laid before him.</p><p>Their feet were chained together and bound to the floor by a heavy bolt. The same went for their wrists, tucked behind their backs and bound to a bolt on the wall that only about a foot off the ground. The chains were long enough that it was just uncomfortable rather than painful, but all three of the Hermits knew this was only the beginning.</p><p>“I’m so sorry guys.” Zedaph said under his breath. “This whole thing was my stupid idea.”</p><p>“Shut up Zedaph. You’re fine.” Impulse replied, looking up to False where the girl twisted in her binds. “We’re sorry for dragging <em>you</em> into this, False.”</p><p>The warrior gave them a weak smile and did her best to stretch her aching back. “’Least I’ll die among friends.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>:(</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter Eighteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“No way…” Doc gasped, looking at the Nether with his eye blown wide. Etho watched with a little bit of pride as the redstone eye he had installed quite awhile ago began to glow and a small scanner beam washed over the landscape in front of them. Doc made log of everything his eye picked up as Bdubs gaped at the new building supplies, walking towards the vines to cut one down before Doc grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him closer. “No way.”</p><p>“Stinker.” Bdubs pouted, but he didn’t try to run to the new foliage again as Etho pat his back in mock pity.</p><p>“Are you three ready?” Asked Xisuma. His eyes were closed but the red glow was still there, the Admin searching for the coordinates of his lost Hermits. “I’m- close to- they keep moving. Just a moment my friends, I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it, it’s fine.” Said Etho, sitting down and crossing his legs as he looked out at the weird landscape before them. With a grunt, Doc sat down next to him, reaching into his bag for a golden carrot. Etho smiled as Bdubs began examining the trees around them, but at least this time he was careful not to touch. “I can’t believe this has been down here all along and we just didn’t know.”</p><p>As Bdubs mumbled about the palates and amazing builds he could whip up with coloured wood of all things, Xisuma picked Etho and Doc up by their collars and reached over to grab him, pulling the three men closer. “I’m not sure what’s going on but they’re finally still so we have to be quick. Deep breaths everyone.”</p><p>Admin magic was warm and hummed. It tasted bitter and crackled like electricity and left the Hermits blinking spots out of their eyes once they reopened. The three mortals let out identical sighs of their held breaths and coughed a little as the last of it magic washed over them and made sure their bodies were in the right place. Bdubs shuddered and Etho rolled his neck. There was the sharp <em>clack clack clack </em>of Doc’s metal arm recalibrating at the plates shifting back together. “Oh goodness me,” Whispered the Admin standing behind them, looking up at the giant Nether Fortress. With wide, horrified eyes, Xisuma watched a heavy grate fall, blocking their way into the fortress where he could <em>hear </em>Impulse and Zedaph shouting.</p><p>“What do we do?” Asked Etho, getting a smack, because the wither skeletons above turned sharply and lifted their crossbows with perfectly trained precision.</p><p>Xisuma could only growl under his breath as he spread his wings in warning. “And this, my friends, is why I wanted you to stay in the Overworld!” He grabbed the three Hermits in front of him and held them close before reaching into himself and letting his void magic begin to bubble. With the rattle of withers moving and the grind of metal on metal, Xisuma released the pressure of the magic growing inside of him and sent a shockwave over the land. He put the Hermits down as a <em>CLANG</em> shook the ground they stood on and the demons that had tried to get to them were stuck behind their own door.</p><p>Unfortunately, Xisuma had forgotten that few demons could teleport too.</p><p>The wither skeletons he had knocked down which stood above them on the walkways of the fortress were standing once more, crossbows once again aimed and poised. The demons wielded black swords and wore black armor, which sent a jolt of fear through Xisuma as he recalled Tango’s myth of invincible armor. The biggest of the demons bared his teeth, voice deep and rumbling. “By the decree of the High Court of the Nether, all mortals, Hermit or other, are outlawed from these lands. Any in violation of this decree will be taken as property of the High Court and sent on trial by the ancient ways.”</p><p>“Lucky for all of us that I’m not mortal.” Xisuma retaliated, jumping over his Hermits and lunging towards the demons with his claws drawn, grinning, of course. The biggest demon which had just spoken snarled and jumped at Xisuma with twin blades while the other four demons decided to take on the three quarters of the NHO.</p><p>As the spat began, crossbow bolts began to rain. How it was safe to fire on a battle with your allies’ backs closest to you Doc couldn’t rationalize, but then he saw a bolt land perfectly square in the centre of Bdub’s chest and he realized maybe these skeletons weren’t that ones that had been left behind in the nether fortresses Doc knew. Bdubs fell like a bag of bricks, writhing on the ground and gasping for air as the wither affect began chewing away. The builder grit his teeth through it, fighting to sit up, groaning and growling in pain as he became weaker and weaker from the struggle. With a curse, Doc had to duck the demon that was swinging at him and disarm the demon that would have been attacking Bdubs if the man hadn’t fallen, but it was he who was disarmed.</p><p>In retaliation, Doc punched the grinning demon right in its flat little nose and hissed, leaping on top of the creature and using his metal hand to lock his grip around their neck and bring them down that way. Sadly, that technique of killing is awfully slow, and Doc had to switch to punching the demon until it stopped fighting back when he saw Bdubs, still gasping in pain and shouting and doing his best to fight, being carried away as he foamed at the mouth.</p><p>Next to Doc, Etho was doing his best to ward off a demon with two swords and a thirst for his blood, but perhaps PVP wasn’t what Etho was meant for. He was a simple man who wanted simple things, like making note blocks look good in builds. Etho grunted as he jumped out of the way before slashing at the demon’s chest and hopping back again, but the demon bought up his blades as Etho’s sword skidded across his chestplate and caught his wrist, making the man cry out. With a twist, the demon had brought Etho to his knees, disarmed him, and badly hurt his dominant wrist. Just to add insult to injury, they kicked him in the chest to knock him down before taking his bag, throwing it aside, and heaving him over their shoulder.</p><p>Watching his friends fall was bringing quite unpleasant memories to the forefront of Xisuma’s mind and he was <em>very </em>upset by what was happening before him. Two demons were on him, the big one that seemed to be in charge, and a smaller one that was using a more of a “do damage not defense” technique. Xisuma would have focused on that one if the leader hadn’t been wailing on him so aggressively.</p><p>Being of a bigger species and most swords being too small for him to use, Xisuma was purely relying on the resilience of Voidkind. Radial blasts took a lot out of him in terms of magic, so his weapon at the moment was his claws. These claws could rip through diamond, but as they dragged over the netherite backplate of the leader harmlessly. Swords, which often took a great amount of effort to pierce him, were put into his sides like he was as liquid as he looked. Xisuma roared in pain and tackled the smaller of the demons, using his claws to search for weak points in the armor, but then the Admin heard Doc cry out.</p><p>The demon he had been wrestling with now had him pinned down. Once Doc was still, an archer had let loose a bolt that imbedded itself into Doc’s flesh shoulder and apparently, whatever this wither affect was did a lot more damage to a creeper than a human, because Doc’s eye had rolled back into his head (hard to tell, it being black and all), his mouth was stuck open and foaming, and his body was stuck in staccato convulsions that looked awfully painful.</p><p>The leader of the little group of demons grinned as Xisuma finally realized Etho and Bdubs were missing and Doc was about to die. “Surrender, little god. You should have never have come here.”</p><p>Xisuma snarled. “What do you want?”</p><p>“Revenge.” The leader growled, sheathing his sword as Xisuma’s hands were wrestled behind his back and promptly tied behind his back. “You disgusting Voidkind will regret what you have done to the Nether. How was I not surprised when I learned it was one of you who had taken my son.”</p><p>Xisuma’s eyes would have widened if he had time, but then the nauseating feeling of Nether teleportation washed over him like a wave of sickness. He was left with nothing, no items, no Hermits, and the hum that usually sang in the back of his mind was silent, meaning his Admin magic was out of his reach. His head not only swam with the Nether magic, but it was obvious someone had hit him pretty hard. Xisuma gagged and pushed himself up onto his hands and knees as he heard metal grinding against metal. A gate behind him was shut, blocking off a black hallway that trailed on and on. A gate in front of him had just been heaved open, showing polished black floors glowing with warm light.</p><p>Walking out hesitantly, Xisuma realized with delayed horror that he was in an arena. A coliseum. Rows upon rows of seats were filled, all spectators screaming and cajoling for his demise. The Voidkind could feel his breathing pick up as he searched for his friends in the giant barren space and saw nothing but the blackness of the stone floors and the black sky. Xisuma was about to ask where in the Nether had void when in the darkness, he could pick out were rock formations were leading in as stalagmites. It was strangely comforting, but it was also so much hotter, and Xisuma felt like he might die before any fight waiting for him could happen.</p><p>The coliseum itself, the walls and the seats, were made of netherack bricks and colourful blue and pink wood. The seats were about five to ten feet above Xisuma’s head so he couldn’t climb out. The Admin scoffed and tried to open his wings, realizing in morbid horror that they had at some point been chained together. He was standing on polished black stone and stalagmites above were ragged and grey like the stone he had seen falling into the lava during his adventure with Grian. He would have to take note of it when he got out of there. It was most certainly strange, Xisuma felt very not safe, and he was gravely worried about how long he had been unconscious and the well being of his Hermits.</p><p>At least he saw no opponents, only a chest. Xisuma raised an eyebrow and glared at all of the observers, baring his teeth and letting out his best Voidkind snarl. The crowds only cheered louder and he rolled his eyes, walking over to the chest and flicking open the lid. The crowd began laughing and screaming and Xisuma scowled at the single gold ingot inside of the double chest.</p><p>The Admin heard snorting like pigs and looked up. Pig-looking humanoids were very angry and were rushing towards him very quickly, decked out in dented golden armor and dull-looking golden swords. There were five in total, all rushing towards him, and Xisuma panicked. He unsheathed his claws and tried to use his wings but all that did is let one jump on his back and dig the dull blade into his shoulder.</p><p>With a roar, Xisuma grabbed the piglin by the head and threw it over his shoulder into another two, knocking the three down with the force. Twisting around, Xisuma raked his claws across a piglin’s chest plate and watched the weak metal fall off with a clang. Xisuma pounced and tore into that offender, leaving four of them. From the one he had just tackled, Xisuma moved onto the next, digging his claws through the chestplate into the piglin’s chest and flinging it away into the three that were struggling to stand and were now knocked over. Unfortunately, they got back up before Xisuma could get over to him and charged him, two trying to grab his arms while another aimed for where it believed his heart to be.</p><p>Voidkind were no joke, however, and Xisuma broke free of their pitiful grip easily. He picked one of the pig things up and threw it towards the audience with all of his strength (it hit the wall and slid back into the arena, but hey, he tried) and turned to bite at the other. Xisuma didn’t like this kind of fighting, no, but it was effective and currently his only option.</p><p>At least the crowd seemed to enjoy his fighting spirit instead of being mad at him for winning. With two more slashes of his claws, Xisuma had torn through his final two opponents. He turned to the audience and roared once more, hissing under his breath when the demons watching only screamed louder for him. “I’ve completed your challenge!” He shouted over the din. “Release me!” As he glared in the audience, he saw a section that was cut off from the rest, risen just a little higher. It was the demons he had met before, the council members. They were silent, all smirking, all watching. Xisuma hissed in their direction and really wish he could move his wings.</p><p>The grind of metal on metal began again. Xisuma whirled around to see what else the new Nether had to throw at him, but when he spotted his next task, his heart dropped and he felt himself gag.</p><p>Tango, dressed in black armor, holding a shield and a black sword, stepped out of the shadows and into the area. The gate behind him slammed shut and a growl that sounded nothing like the Hermit before Xisuma rattled through the air, silencing even the crowd. His shoulders were tipped with golden spikes, as were his horns, his eyes glowing fiercely in the dim lighting. For a moment, he appeared to shake himself off, but when he looked over Xisuma’s head to where his mother sat, he nodded and looked back to the Voidkind in front of him.</p><p>“Tango, my friend, it’s- it’s me,” Xisuma said, holding out his hands and crouching to make himself look less intimidating.</p><p>Tango snarled and lunged.</p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter Nineteen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There is a lot of heavy violence in this chapter. For those reading this who can be upset by that sort of stuff, I apologize and ask you to wait for the next chapter where you'll be caught up on what happened in a much more pleasant way. Stay safe out there y'all</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With a yelp, Xisuma jumped out of the way. Tango had thrown himself at him with such force the demon stumbled and nearly fell over, catching himself and twisting on his heel to charge again with a rabid snarl. Xisuma took a wobbly step back as Tango swung at his midsection with a yelp of the demon’s name. “Tango my friend what is- stop- Tango it’s me!”</p><p>This time when Tango took a step forwards to lunge at Xisuma, the Admin grabbed Tango by the shoulder, careful of the golden spikes, and threw him away in a spin he hoped wouldn’t hurt the Hermit. Xisuma held out his hands again, trying to show that he didn’t want a fight, even going as far to withdraw his claws. After being thrown Tango had fallen to his knees, the demon panting and growling as he wobbled back onto his feet and picked up his sword, leaving his shield behind. When he turned to Xisuma, his eyes were burning fiercely, the glow pulsing with his hummingbird heartbeat.</p><p>“You took me from my <em>home</em>,” Tango roared, running up to Xisuma. “stripped me of my <em>horns</em>,” He slashed at Xisuma, the Voidkind barely getting out of the way. The sword still made contact, luckily not as severe, and left a shallow cut about as wide as a man’s hand on Xisuma’s side. Tango wasn’t finished yet. “made me suffer in your<em> filthy</em> Overworld!” Screeched the demon, holding his sword over his shoulder and bringing it down with all of his weight behind it. Xisuma yelped when he wasn’t able to get out of the way fast enough, the sword embedding itself into his shoulder where the piglin had cut him before. “I am going to make you and your disgusting Hermits pay.”</p><p>Tango wrenched out the sword and Xisuma fell to his knees with a sharp noise of pain. When Xisuma looked up, Tango was grinning. “My friend, please. I know this isn’t you. I know this isn’t you.” The Voidkind said, breath ragged, the pain sharp and hot and pulsing. Xisuma felt himself getting weaker and idly wondered if the sword had the wither affect on it, or worse, the Nether itself was doing dangerous things to Xisuma’s open wounds.</p><p>“I didn’t know Voidkind were capable of crying.” Tango hissed, kicking Xisuma in the chest and knocking him onto his back. The crowd screamed and Xisuma twitched as molten pain flooded over him, stealing his breath and making him shake. Tango stood over Xisuma and raised his sword. “It’s pathetic.”</p><p>The glow of Tango’s eyes stopped pulsating, but Xisuma wondered if that was just his eyesight giving up on him as his eyes did in fact well with tears. Everything sounded as if it was underwater, the cheers of the audience, the heaving of Xisuma’s chest, the pleased growl dying in Tango’s throat. The demon’s grin fell for a moment and he looked up. His mother was watching with a keen eye, and when she saw the doubt on Tango’s face she only smiled and offered him a nod. Right. Right. Tango was here for revenge over those who had taken him from his home. That’s what he was doing. The man lying under him, writhing in pain and crying like a babe was just acting- he was a criminal, a bad man, Tango had to do this for his family-</p><p>The black sword Tango had gripped with both hands now stood in Xisuma’s chest. The demon pulled it out and the crowd screamed and screeched and cheered and clapped and Tango growled under his breath as the flicked the black blood off of his blade and raised his arms in victory.</p><p>There was no puff of smoke. No sound of dissolving. No splatter of forgotten resources on the ground. Instead, the fighting floor of the coliseum was decorated by the large body of the elusive Voidkind, the only one in thousands of years that vouchered for peace. The stars on his body glowed brighter and brighter as the Voidkind lost his final breaths and suddenly- the stars went out. Xisuma was still. His body was completely black, as if where he lay was the hole in the ground. Dark, purple blood no longer sputtered from his wounds and instead lazily seeped into the stone around him.</p><p>Relishing in the cheers of the crowd, Tango hardly noticed the ache in his chest as he tore his eyes away from the body of the monster who had stolen him from his home or the sound of the metal gates prying themselves open once more. The sound that came out of the gates made him sad, but the demon couldn’t place why.</p><p>A girl with sunshine blonde hair and big blue eyes stood at the mouth of the gate. She had been stripped of the armor Tango found himself remembering on her and the only thing clutched in her hand was a diamond sword but it was soon dropped so she could cover her mouth. Big tears welled in her eyes and began falling as another one of those pitiful sounds escaped, something between a cry and a scream. The sound was mostly lost under the excited din of the crowd, however.</p><p>“Tango!” The girl shouted, her breath shaking and heaving and her voice cracking. A sob racked her body and she began marching into the coliseum once her sword was back in her hand. “What did you <em>do</em>!?”</p><p>The demon held up his sword to show he wasn’t afraid of her. She didn’t seem to care.</p><p>“You KILLED your <em>FRIEND</em>!” Her name was False. She was nearly on top of Tango now, slashing her sword across his side. The diamond scraped harmlessly across the netherite and Tango realized he should be fighting back, kicking False in the hip and pushing her away. She fell with a cry but got back up, limping towards Tango and double fisting her short sword. “You’re… you’re a <em>monster</em>! We fought for you! He loved you! What did you do!?”</p><p>Side stepping her attack, Tango left a nasty gash along her dominant arm. The girl shouted in pain but didn’t slow down with her attacks, twisting on her heel and dropping her sword in favour of tackling Tango. With a yelp the demon fell, struggling underneath the crying girl. She grabbed him by the wrist and knocked it to the ground, forcing Tango to drop his sword. As he struggled to get out from under her, False reached for his sword over his shoulder and Tango took it upon himself to headbutt her, seeing as the rest of him was pinned.</p><p>A sharp intake of breath later and False was swaying with confusion on top of Tango. The spikes of gold on Tango’s horns doubled with the spikes on his helmet had left quickly darkening bruises along her jaw, shoulder, and collar bone. He punched her and she fell to the side, face pressed in the dirt. The demon pushed her off and stepped away from where he was laying, eyes wide with something that felt a lot like horror bubbling inside of him. The din of the crowd was making his head swim and the screech of the metal gates opening was back. Tango looked up to his mother as to ask “how many more?” but her smile made him realize the number didn’t <em>matter </em>as long as he won and got his revenge.</p><p>Turning to the gate opening. Tango saw not one, but two challengers. Each were without armor, but both were given swords. They looked on with baited breaths, eyes wide with horror at the carnage that surrounded Tango, the red blood streaking down his armor and the black that was still dripping off his sword. The demon shot them a too-familiar lopsided grin and brandished his sword, dipping into an offensive stance.</p><p>“Okay.” Swallowed Zedaph, feeling himself begin to shake, trying to get his breathing under control. “What’s the plan, Impulse?”</p><p>“I-” Impulse squeezed his eyes shut and when he opened them Tango was stalking towards them with a predatory look in his eye. Impulse gripped his sword and looked past Tango to the fallen forms of Xisuma and False. “This isn’t Tango. We can’t hurt him. We just have to immobilize him.”</p><p>“Cool. That’s easy.” Said Zedaph. “Let’s make like a banana and split!”</p><p>With Zedaph cutting to the right, Impulse realized he should be moving when Tango lunged. Impulse dove to the left, scrambling back of his feet as he heard Tango snarl behind him. Impulse broke into a sprint, running out into the center of the coliseum, sticking to the left side as Zedaph stuck to the right. “Zedaph!” Impulse shouted over the din. “False’s sword!”</p><p>Impulse began waving his arms and shouting, trying to get Tango attention on him. “Hey! Tango! Yeah! Your iron farm sucks! And- and you suck at making concrete!” He cried. The demon’s pulsing red eyes landed on him and Tango began sprinting towards him, making Impulse yelp. Zedaph ran into the center of the bloodbath and scooped up False’s sword before quickly retreating, and Impulse did his best to evade Tango’s attacks, but Tango took a page out of False’s best techniques and tackled Impulse to the ground, raising his sword to drive it through the man’s chest. Impulse let out a yelp and began patting at the blackstone around him, fingers making purchase on Tango’s dropped shield, and he raised it before slamming the metal into Tango’s head.</p><p>The demon crumpled, gasping and moaning in pain. Impulse quickly pushed him off, listening to the screaming observers go quiet as Tango remained still, chest heaving to suck in breaths as his head swam.</p><p>What was going on?</p><p>Jumping to his feet, Impulse affixed the shield to his arm properly as he ran over to Zedaph, giving the man a quick hug as he panted and turned to face where Tango still wasn’t getting up. The demon struggled to his hands and knees and looked up, red eyes no longer pulsing, slowly taking in the battle field. From where he stood, Zedaph swore Tango was about to throw up as he looked at the floor of the coliseum where False and Xisuma laid.</p><p>Impulse left Zedaph’s side and jogged to where False was laying. He turned the girl over and let out hiss as he saw her wounds, how dark they were, and how her eyes refused to open no matter how hard Impulse shook her. She wasn’t breathing, Impulse could feel no pulse, and what was worse was that the girl wasn’t respawning. The man’s eyes pricked with tears and anger swelled in him as the demons watching cheered as he cried into his fallen friend’s chest. The redstoner didn’t even care to look at where his opponent was as he mourned his friend, half trusting Zedaph to protect him, half prepared to die with surrounded by his fellow Hermits.</p><p>“I-” Tango’s voice broke over the din, his voice rough and choked. “I didn’t- it wasn’t- Zed,”</p><p>Impulse looked up to see Tango staggering towards them, sword on the ground. Zedaph stood between him and Impulse, sword held out in front of him in a stance that meant he was ready to strike. Tango looked <em>scared</em>. Tango looked sick. Until a high whistle sounded from above, Tango met his mother’s eye, and he pounced on Zedaph with a snarl.</p><p>----------</p><p>Grian sat up.</p><p>Mumbo startled next to him and looked over. “What’s up dude?”</p><p>“Somethings wrong.” Grian said, sharp, shallow pain growing in his chest as he stood. The communicator in his pocket was burning but when he checked it there were no unread messages, no sparks flying from the redstone inside. He and Mumbo has been relaxing on top of one of his strange wrenches, enjoying the view of the jungle and the bases rising around it. Unfortunately, relaxation in Hermitcraft never did last that long.</p><p>With an amused chuckle, Mumbo sat up on his elbows and quirked an eyebrow. “Did I get my maths wrong? I knew that one looked wrong goodness me I don’t want to start again-”</p><p>“Your base is- it’s <em>fine</em>, Mumbo, your base is fine. It’s something else.” Said Grian, looking around the jungle as if it might have an answer for him. “It’s Xisuma- I think- I think there’s something wrong with Xisuma. Where is your nether portal? The hobbit hole, yes, okay, stay here Mumbo.” Grian flicked open his wings and with a sharp snap, he was in the air, diving towards Mumbo’s hobbit hole.</p><p>The no longer hobbit let out a shout and dove off the platform after Grian, deploying his elytra and chasing the man through the air. Unfortunately, even when Grian was hiding his wings and using elytra like everyone else, the man was faster. Now with giant, super awesome wings, he was twice as fast as even the best elytra fliers on the server. Since Mumbo knew he wouldn’t beat Grian to the Nether portal, he was left with screaming over the wind. “WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING!?”</p><p>“IT’S FINE!” Grian called over his shoulder with his little gremlin laugh. He ran through Mumbo’s base, bolted up the ladder, and ran right into the Nether portal. The sharp pain was getting deeper, digging into Grian’s chest. It wasn’t actually hurting him to the point of being keeled over in pain, but it was extremely uncomfortable and hard for Grian to push out of his consciousness.</p><p>The last thing he saw before purple overtook his vision was Mumbo trying to push the stacked minecart in chests aside and stop him, but Grian flicked out his wing and pushed Mumbo back into the chests before being sucked in the Nether. The Admin gasped for air as he stepped out of the portal and the sharp pain turned into stinging, like someone was pouring a health potion into a wound only to reopen it and add more potion. Simply, it really hurt. That’s all Grian needed to shut his eyes, trying to find Xisuma’s code, but there was nothing. He couldn’t even find the man’s tag.</p><p>Swallowing down the wave of anxiety that threatened to send Grian into a spiral, he had to try something else. He felt within himself for his void magic, where it burned and twisted in his stomach and lit his heart on fire. The next step was to search for any similar magic in the Nether. Far, far away did Grian feel it. The Admin steeled himself, took a deep breath, and when he shut his eyes, he wandered into the purple in the corners of his vision instead of settling into the darkness. Another surge of fear filled him when the purple began to overtake anything he could see, even when he opened his eyes, but Grian trusted Scar’s advice that he just needed to unclog his magic and let it flow as he held his breath. The pain in his chest swelled with the roar of his magic and Grian felt the pain twinge and point, and there Grian went.</p><p>When Grian opened his eyes, he felt exhausted. He could hear screaming and cheering and cries of pain and something a lot like the hiss of steam. When Grian opened his eyes he realized it was <em>him</em> steaming, but he had bigger fish to fry.</p><p>The sight was… everything bad. Grian fell once he appeared on top of Xisuma considering he was expecting solid ground, not his friend’s body. His eyes widened at horror as he looked at the giant puddle of dark purple blood and still form of Xisuma. His heart began pounding in his ears as he looked up and saw False covered in bruises and unmoving too. Zedaph was on his side wheezing, reaching for a sword as his shirt was soaked by blood from wounds that must have been on his chest. Impulse was pinned against the wall, cowering behind a shield as Tango rained his fists upon the hard wood, fists that were on <em>fire</em>. Grian looked around, and upon seeing they were literally in a coliseum and people were watching him and cheering, Grian was getting very nervous.</p><p>He heard Impulse cry out and Grian really did feel like he was going to throw up as the heavy, smoking shield was lobbed towards him and Tango turned with a snarl, narrowing his pulsating eyes. Grian’s head was filled with the sound of cheers, the horror of seeing his friends dead, and the sound of metal on metal. Oh, and the sight of Tango charging him.</p><p>Grian opened his wings and flew out of the demon’s reach. Around him the demons watching began gasping and screaming, Tango standing below, trying to swipe at him with a snarl. Once the demon realized he wouldn’t be able to reach the Admin who was flying in a circle to observe the carnage below him, the fire enveloping his hands grew and the monster that Tango had become took aim for Grian’s damaged wing. Looking to where the screeching metal had come from, Grian saw Doc, Etho, and Bdubs stepping out of a dark hall and all going pale (or as pale as a creeper could) at the sight before them. Grian flapped his wings harder and raised himself a little higher as he noticed the fire in Tango’s hands. “What are you doing here?!” He shouted.</p><p>“Dying, apparently!” Etho replied, catching Tango’s gaze. The rabid demon snarled and lunged for the new, easier to reach sacrifices and Grian felt himself begin to panic as everything truly set in.</p><p>His friends were dead.</p><p>His friends were dead at the hands of his other friend.</p><p>And if he wasn’t fast, more of his friends would be dead at the hands of his other friend.</p><p>Dropping into a dive, Grian swept down and grabbed Tango by the arms, quickly pulling him into the sky. The weird armor Tango was wearing made him heavier than Grian was prepared for and his struggling certainly wasn’t helping. “Tango! Tango it’s me! I’m going to help you dude- oh my god stop <em>struggling</em>!” He groaned, yelped when Tango tried to claw at him, the heat of his claws and the fire licking at his fingers again searing into Grian, the boos of the audience deafening and making his head pound. Doc and Bdubs were running to Impulse and Zed who were currently bleeding out or otherwise mortally wounded and when Tango <em>bit</em> Grian’s hand the man was forced to drop him back down with a final shout.</p><p>Tango lunged for Bdubs, kicked the man into Zed, who wheezed in pain, and Tango raised his hand to slash down his claws. Grian snarled, held out his hands, and felt around for all of the tension built up inside of him just like he had at Scar’s machine.</p><p>His friends were dead and the last time he ever talked to Xisuma they were yelling at each other and everyone is depending on him and something was wrong with Tango and if Grian was a better Admin no one in Evo would be dead, no one below him would be dead, this was all his fault everything was all his fault Bdubs screaming was his fault, Etho shouting was his fault, Tango being crazy was his fault, everything playing out underneath him was all Grian’s fault and the screaming of the crowd was not helping him focus on unclogging his magic just like Scar had shown him so Grian started screaming and-</p><p>The air was pulled out of Grian’s lungs as purple filled his vision and he passed out.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter Twenty</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello my dearest readers, most of which who would like to kill me.<br/>You all have big brains and no faith and I hope you are enjoying this book. There's still around five chapters to come out over the next week, and after that I'm thinking, emphasis on thinking, about writing something for the NHO, a longer version of my one-shot To Pass The Jungle You Have To Go All The Way Around. Would anyone be interested in that? Do you all want it to be a continued part of this universe or another one entirely?<br/>I happily await you screaming at me :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Respawn left scars. Whatever this was, did not.</p><p>Impulse sat up on the beach of spawn island with a whimpering groan and reached for his face. The last thing he remembered were Tango’s claws landing there but he felt no raised skin, no stinging, no evidence of anything. For a brief second, he panicked he had died and this was heaven or something, but as the redstoner looked around he could see the forms of his friends all slowly sitting up with pained moans.</p><p>Xisuma, who had been well and surely impaled, sat up with a sharp gasp. He scrambled to his feet and looked around, mouth opening and closing as he took in the scene around him. When the Admin saw Tango trying to get up from the bed, groaning in pain, the Voidkind quickly lunged and picked Tango up, hoisted him into the air, and began flying away with a cry of “I’m taking him somewhere safe! Don’t move!”</p><p>“What is <em>happening</em>?” Moaned Zed, sitting up and wincing when he accidentally kicked Doc in the ribs. He reached to feel his chest and felt his tattered shirt, but there were no marks of claws on his chest. Impulse moved to his side and began looking Zedaph up and down and gave him a perplexed shrug. Zedaph frowned and gave Impulse a tight hug, sighing shakily into his shoulder and squeezing his eyes shut. “That was terrifying. Let’s never do it again. Impulse, we’re never going to the Nether again. Say goodbye to comparators.”</p><p>“Oh my goodness I was dead.” False said from beside them.</p><p>Quick to move to her side was Doc, checking her for any lasting wounds or scars, but like the rest of them, False was entirely healed. Shell-shocked maybe, but healed. “We should get you to your base so you can lay down. Maybe ask Scar or Stress to take a look at you.”</p><p>“I think Cleo would be best with the whole dead thing.” Said Etho, getting him several glares. He shrunk under the scrutiny until False giggled listlessly. “Right. Sorry.”</p><p>“I mean, he’s right.” Replied False. “Oh <em>wow </em>my head hurts. What happened?”</p><p>“Grian!” Said Bdubs. “Grian was there, and when we came out, you and Xisuma were…” Bdubs trailed off and took a short breath before finding it in himself to continue. “Grian was panicking, I mean, he looked scared, well- everyone was scared, I don’t know! He started glowing and <em>where is Grian</em>?”</p><p>All those on spawn island, two thirds of team ZIT, three fourths of the NHO, and one very confused False rocketed to their feet. False swayed like she might faint but Impulse and Doc held her arms and kept her steady. Everyone glanced at each other before observing the little island more closely and Zedaph hopped onto the highest point of the small drift where Xisuma had respawned only to see Grian laying in the empty Nether portal, glowing a faint purple even still.</p><p>The obsidian of the Nether portal was covered in blue and purple cracks. The top half of the frame had collapsed and fallen on the grass below, leaving jagged edges. Some fragments were dusted along Grian’s wings.</p><p>A glow pulsed around the builder like his heart beat. He had fallen in a tangle of limbs, his golden wings stretched out across his back, his chin tucked his chest and resting on the bottom of the obsidian frame. His wild hair covered his face and it was hard to tell if the man was breathing past the insistent purple glow.</p><p>When Zedaph stepped closer, Impulse hopped up and grabbed his wrist. “It may not be safe Zed.”</p><p>“He’s hurt,” Zedaph frowned. “He’s not getting up, he just saved us, let me see if he’s okay.”</p><p>“Impulse is right. We should wait for Xisuma since he knows this kind of magic.” Said Doc, looking around spawn island. “Either way. None of us have our stuff and there’s no boats here. We’re kind of stranded unless False feels strong enough to swim.”</p><p>At that, Zedaph sat down heavily, only a few feet from Grian’s eerily still form. The glow was slowly but surely dampening, but it was still persistent. Etho and Bdubs just flopped right back down where they were, catching their breath. Doc laid False down and decided to check her eyes, which made her giggle, but she didn’t tell him to stop because her head was still swimming. Impulse sat with Zedaph and leaned on his shoulder with a small frown, sighing when Zedaph slumped right back into him.</p><p>The two members of Team ZIT sat in the sparse grass of spawn island, asking each other what was happening to their finalizing member silently. It was a question that hung in the air that neither had the power to speak.</p><p>Surely enough, none other than their Admin flew over the horizon, speeding towards the island on giant wings. He landed heavily and took in each of the Hermits, rushing to where False laid and embracing her in a tight hug. He pat Doc on the shoulder and made sure Etho and Bdubs were okay and hugged Zedaph and Impulse close with a big relieved sigh and mumbled apologies. Xisuma looked towards the portal, to where Grian was still glowing, and he gently set Impulse and Zedaph down as he drifted closer to the prone builder. “Oh, my friend,” Xisuma whispered under his breath, regret an icy dagger that took place in his heart. Xisuma tried not to think about his last conversation with Grian when he knelt next to the builder and gingerly rolled him onto his back.</p><p>The man went pliantly. His face was washed pale, his eyelids glowing a fierce purple from the light radiating underneath. Xisuma made sure Grian wasn’t hurting his wings with the way he laid and Xisuma reached to examine Grian’s hands. Surely enough, they were stained inky black, fading into purple at his wrists, and then the pink of his skin at his elbows. The skin looked dry and broken and where it split, purple glowed.</p><p>“We have to get him somewhere he’ll be comfortable. I will teleport you all to your bases but I’ll have to carry Grian. I need someone to alert Scar and Mumbo and Stress.” Xisuma said, gingerly gathering Grian in his arms. The man was limp, his wings stretching out underneath him and his arms dangling. Everyone winced at Grian’s appearance, especially the black hands.</p><p>“I can do it.” Said Doc.</p><p>“I think we should stay together.” Added False.</p><p>Shuffling as he stood, Zedaph scratched his arm. “Where is Tango? Could I go to him?”</p><p>Xisuma sighed and nodded. “Later. For now, everyone should get some rest and the people who are wounded can be kept in my base. I still need someone to get those three for Grian and False, so Doc, I’ll send you after Scar. Impulse and Zedaph, you stay with False and get her settled in my base so she can rest her head. Bdubs, Etho, please find Mumbo and Stress for me. The three are relatively close in the other jungle. Deep breaths everyone.”</p><p>First whisked away were Etho, Bdubs, and Doc. Then, Xisuma sent off False, Impulse, and Zedaph to his base. He hoped they wouldn’t break anything before he got there as he tucked Grian close to himself and took off into the air. He couldn’t risk exposing Grian to more void magic when it was obvious his human body couldn’t handle it anymore. Xisuma didn’t want to think of what could happen is Grian casted again, or lost control like he did when he cast that spell to hold Xisuma in place. If Grian used dangerous amounts of magic that his mortal body couldn’t handle every time he was stressed or angry or scared Xisuma knew he wouldn’t last much longer.</p><p>----------</p><p>Everything hurt.</p><p>It was a burning, searing pain in every part of him that he couldn’t escape. He tried to gasp in a breath when he realized his air wasn’t coming and felt his dry throat croak.</p><p>An explosion of sound set off around him, but everything sounded distant and underwater.</p><p>He sunk back into the darkness he had never really crawled out of.</p><p>----------</p><p>A familiar face was in front of him. He was smiling, and looked sad. He felt sad and smiled back.</p><p>He tried to say his name. His voice wouldn’t work and the smiling man waved and disappeared.</p><p>It was hard for him to tell was hurt worse, the familiar face leaving him, the burning pumping through his veins, or the death grip someone had on his hand.</p><p>----------</p><p>He remembered this pain. It was the same burning that was pulsing through him, but focused in his back. It was sharp and felt like tearing and he wanted to scream in pain but nothing came out in this strange space.</p><p>He saw faces watching him, hidden among the inky blackness he had become accustomed to.</p><p>Red eyes bore into him and to protect himself he decided to sink back into the darkness.</p><p>----------</p><p>The burning was no longer constant. It was an ebbing throb that rattled through him. He stuttered on his breaths and struggled to get comfortable but every now again he would have a moment of reprieve.</p><p>Something cold was on his forehead. It was such sweet relief that he tried to make a sound but once again, his voice refused to work.</p><p>Enjoying the heady feeling of the coolness, he drifted back off to the feeling of someone squeezing his shoulder.</p><p>----------</p><p>The sound was back. There were distinct voices and the sound of glass clinking and that coolness was on his forehead again. When it was taken away, he whimpered, and there was the gentle feeling of someone brushing his hair back from his forehead.</p><p>He screwed his eyes shut tight. His body felt tense and the burning was in the back of his mind for the first time in… in…</p><p>The coolness was back on his forehead and something wet dripped into his eyes. With a hiss, he tried to open then, assaulted by the bright, warm light in the room. He squeezed his eyes shut once more and tried to move to cover his face or wipe his eyes, flinching hard when the soft hand wiped the water off his face.</p><p>“It’s alright love, just me. Hi Grian.” Her voice was a whisper, deathly soft and high and sweet.</p><p>Grian blinked blearily, letting go of a shuddering breath. He turned his head, his neck screaming at him, but when his watery eyes finally focused Grian saw the smiling visage of Stress. She gently wiped his face and brushed back his hair and the air was so sweet on Grian’s tongue, he licked around his mouth and realized just how thirsty he was.</p><p>Coaxing him to sit up just a little bit, Stress placed a wet sponge in Grian’s mouth. “You suck on that. Safer than giving you a cup. Just relax, okay? You’ve been out for awhile. You must be tired.” Grian could only nod, most of his effort put into sucking the water out of the sponge. “It’s late Grian. Go back to sleep. We’ll be here.”</p><p>The last thing on his mind as the darkness took him again was “<em>we?</em>”</p><p>----------</p><p>“He woke up and you didn’t tell me?”</p><p>“Well in my defense that was the first time you had slept in two days.”</p><p>“What did he say?”</p><p>“Nothing really. He just nodded and had a drink. He’s still very tired.”</p><p>“He’s been sleeping for a week, how is he tired?”</p><p>“His body is using most of his energy to recover and flush out the void magic. At least we know that he <em>will </em>wake up now, right? I’m sorry you didn’t get to see him. Oh, oh, come here love, come here.”</p><p>There was the weak sound of crying and it rattled in Grian’s head. When he tried to speak, at least this time there was a sound, a broken whine twisting in the dryness of his throat. The crying broke with a startled gasp and Stress issued a breathed warning but a firm, calloused hand gripped his shoulder and Grian felt his body tense as he tried so hard to pry his eyes open again.</p><p>“Grian, dude, Grian. Oh goodness me mate please, do- do <em>something </em>so I know you can hear me.” Mumbo’s voice was a rushed whisper and Grian struggled to piece everything together properly and make it line up in his head. “I’m so sorry Grian, oh wow, please be okay.”</p><p>It took all of his focus, but Grian made one of his fingers laid on the bed twitch. The pain that radiated out from his hand was unbearable and Grian made a high sound of pain as it washed over him. “Stress, please get Iskall. And- and Xisuma. Oh wow, oh, dude, hey, <em>Grian</em>,” Mumbo was stumbling over his words and it made Grian giggle, even if it was raspy and broke and he heard Mumbo choke on a sob. Struggling to get his eyes open enough to see, Mumbo looked exhausted, hunched over the bed with his hand on Grian’s shoulder. The redstoner gave him a watery smile. “Hey dude.”</p><p>“Hey,” Grian whispered, because that’s all he could do. A fresh stream of tears rolled down Mumbo’s face.</p><p>There was the clack of shoes on the floor and Iskall burst into the room. He grinned over Mumbo’s shoulder and shuffled closer, sagging with relief. “You really scared us there, G-Man.”</p><p>“Alright you two, give him some space.” Stress’s voice cut through the fog of Grian’s mind clean and sharp and Grian wasn’t sure if he was happy or sad when Mumbo gently let go of his shoulder and moved away. Stress brought Grian another sponge and he happily took it. He could only watch, not strong enough to move, as Iskall and Mumbo backed up to let Xisuma and Scar closer.</p><p>“Hey G-Man.” Scar smiled, pressing a red crystal to Grian’s forehead. It was cool and buzzed against his skin. Grian took a deep breath, even if it was shaky, and let himself relax into the sweat-soaked bed. Scar shuffled away and the big looming form that was Xisuma stood over him instead. For a moment, Grian saw the red eyes he had in those strange dreams and felt his heart begin to pound. Xisuma’s clawed hand reached for his face and Grian waited for the feeling of the Amendment’s mask to cover him but instead Xisuma just touched his forehead where the crystal had just been and the fog in Grian’s mind cleared like someone opening heavy curtains.</p><p>Easily taking his weight, Xisuma helped Grian sit up and lean on the wall behind him. Stress took the sponge from Grian’s mouth and placed a cup of tea to his lips. Grian took small, careful sips. The tea had been sweetened with honey but still it was bitter.</p><p>Once it was gone, Grian was able to clear his throat and looked at the people gathered around his bed in different states of disarray. “What happened?” He croaked.</p><p>“You saved my life.” Xisuma smiled, crouching next to the bed. Like this, he was almost Mumbo’s height, and that made Grian giggle in his exhaustion. “You used a lot of very powerful void magic to get everyone back to spawn island and revived False and I. The magic was too much for your body and you weren’t waking up.”</p><p>“Huh,” Grian said, letting his eyes slip shut as he swallowed the lump in his throat. The fleeting memories came back to him as if in slow motion, the burning in his chest, his rush to the Nether portal, the bloodied coliseum. His face fell into a frown and Grian opened his eyes to look at Xisuma. “Where is Tango?”</p>
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<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter Twenty One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hurt! The boy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tango was inside of a giant obsidian box.</p><p>There was a bed and a chest full of food. That was about it. The room was lit by a single endrod in the corner most opposite to the bed. The only way out was an iron door that was backed by two more. He didn’t know what laid behind those doors, if he was somewhere beneath Toon Towers, or in Xisuma’s base, or locked away on an unexplored part of the map. He didn’t know what time of day it was and instead slept only when he needed to, ate when he was hungry. All form of routine was gone and it was just him and the tiny five by five room and the ridiculously soft bed.</p><p>It was cold in the room, always cold, and Tango attributed that to the lack of sun or fire and the instead pale light of the endrod. He was still wearing the Nether regalia even if Xisuma had taken his armor, the fabric far too thin for anything but the heat of the Nether. Tango was adapting to the life of being too cold, the air being a little too thin. Slowly but surely, like everything else in that cell.</p><p>Every now and again he would go ramrod straight, unable to move, stuck in whatever position he had been in, and the iron doors would click and screech their way open. It was funny to watch Xisuma squeeze his way through the gaps that were far too small for his body and refill the chest with bottles of water and hot food. Xisuma would walk through the doors and leave before releasing Tango from his magic, meaning the demon had absolutely no way to tell anyone that he was sorry.</p><p>So, so sorry.</p><p>Most of Tango’s time was taken by thinking of the coliseum. The cheering, the adrenaline, the sharp smell of blood. His friend’s blood. Their scared faces haunted him when he slept and the roars of the crowd would wake him up in a cold sweat, gasping for air and shaking until a restless sleep came for him again. He remembered the feeling of horror filling him as he looked at his friends, only to meet his mother’s eye and feel that surge of righteousness again. As Tango pressed his face into his pillow, shaking and gasping for air after another nightmare, he silently wished he would never see his mother again even as he gripped the too-thin shirt she had given him.</p><p>Sometimes, when he was feeling bold, Tango would stand leaning on the cool iron door and call down the hallway until his voice was horse. He’d cry apologies and ask if anyone could hear him, sometimes ask for another blanket or something to shave with. No one ever came when he did that, and the frequency of those moments dwindled as did the demon’s hope in his friends.</p><p>Tango wasn’t sure why they hadn’t killed him yet. Talking to no one was driving him crazy. He was beginning to wonder if the Hermits still considered him one of them, still called him their friend, or is this <em>was</em> meant to kill him; slowly and painfully and the worst reality Tango could ever live through. The worst thing was that he would live through it. He was bound to sit in that cell until this world was destroyed and he took from reprieve in the fact that he would go crazy some day and stop caring.</p><p>He also promised himself that he would never hate the Hermits. Even if no longer being a Hermit hurt him more than any netherite sword could, Tango wouldn’t hold it against them if they didn’t consider him their friend anymore. I mean, it was fair, right? He had <em>killed</em> two of them. He was living with the guilt that he had killed False. Xisuma obviously respawned because he was Voidkind, but False was mortal. She was gone and it was all his fault. Tango choked on tears whenever he worked himself into the circle of <em>Did my claws kill Zed? Impulse?</em> So, he avoided those thoughts like death. Tango had killed False and mortally wounded Zedaph and Impulse and he deserved to be locked up forever for that. He really was a monster. He curled up in bed and cried about it until he fell asleep.</p><p>Sleep was restless in that tiny black cube. Waking up was less of an event and more of a gradual change. As Tango found consciousness again, he knew he was finally going crazy because he heard voices echoing through the room.</p><p>“You can’t keep him in there forever!”</p><p>“I don’t know what else I can do, my friends. He’s dangerous.”</p><p>“Have you talked to him at all?”</p><p>“Well- no- I’ve been casting- that’s not the point. I can’t let you see him. He could hurt you and I don’t know what will happen if you become stuck in there with him.”</p><p>“Then stand outside the door. If anything happens, you can cast your magic on him and we’ll be fine!”</p><p>“Impulse, Zedaph, I appreciate your concern, but I can’t. I don’t even know how you found this place I’m truly-”</p><p>“We followed you- ow! Okay, sheesh, we didn’t follow you. Not at all. Nope.”</p><p>“X, please. He’s our friend. He’s been alone for four days; he’ll be going insane being alone that long- you should know better than anyone!”</p><p>“I stand outside the door. If <em>I</em> feel like either of you are in the slightest bit of danger, I am bringing you back to the Overworld and moving him.”</p><p>Tango curled up tighter in bed as a wave of shivers washed over him. With a sigh Tango pushed back his hair and tried to get back to sleep. An echo of screeching metal rumbled down the hall and the demon waited for the cold claws of void magic to take control of him so Xisuma could bring him more food he wouldn’t eat. Nothing happened and it just made Tango’s heart beat harder.</p><p>“Tango?” Asked Zedaph, peeking through the window of the door. “Will you kill us if we come in? Ach- Impulse, lay off!”</p><p>He sat up from the bed with wide eyes and looked at Zedaph’s face in the door, the man’s bright purple eyes and his timid smile. Oh yeah, he was losing it. The door swung open and Tango was sure it was a hallucination as Zedaph and Impulse very cautiously slid into the room. Both of the men were decked out in fully enchanted diamond armor and had swords hanging from their hips. They looked about ready to flee if Tango made any sudden moves and he didn’t blame them. Tango could see blackness behind them and pushed away the thought that it was Xisuma and let his sleep addled brain replace it with an inky background to the broken delusion.</p><p>“Tango?” Asked Impulse, hanging in the doorway as Zedaph slid further into the room. “How are you man? Uh, we’ve just been… worried about you. Wanted to check in, yenno.”</p><p>Of all the situations Tango had comprised this was not one of them. He hadn’t seen this coming. He opened his mouth in search of something to say and found nothing. He just shook his head, and pressed his back to the wall behind him. He blinked a few times, wondering when they would leave his vision and Tango would actually wake up.</p><p>“Tango?” Asked Zedaph taking a small step closer.</p><p>Tears sprung to the demon’s eyes and he found himself slack jawed, staring. Impulse and Zedaph shared a concerned look and Tango finally got control over himself again, just enough to suck in a breath and breathe out a very shaky: “I am <em>so </em>sorry.”</p><p>“Okay. Not what I was expecting.” Zedaph swallowed. He gave Impulse another look and the redstoner only nodded back. They were expecting- well- they weren’t sure what they were expecting, not tears, that’s for sure. “Uh, what are you sorry for?”</p><p>Something that felt a lot like life flooded into Tango and he scowled in his confusion. “What am I sorry for?” He echoed, feeling a little mocked. The clutch of void magic was suddenly alive in his muscles and if Tango could have, he would have sobbed as Xisuma ushered Zedaph and Impulse out of the room. He wanted to apologize so bad, he could do better than that, he just wasn’t expecting it, and they looked so hesitant to leave but Xisuma’s voice was raising and once the iron door shut Tango was free and he scrambled over because this was <em>real.</em></p><p>“Please, please,” He gasped, not caring as tears tracked down his face. The only thing forcing the words out of his mouth was panic that they would leave him alone again. “It wasn’t me. I don’t know what was going on I am so so so sorry I- I didn’t want to do I couldn’t control myself I thought you were dead oh I thought you were dead I am so so sorry I am so sorry I never meant for this to happen I just, I just-”</p><p>Tango sunk to his knees and began to cry. He knew they would never listen to him, and from the sounds of it, neither would Xisuma. What could he say? He didn’t even know what was happening. He wasn’t sure what had come over him and then he realized that he was in that cell for a very good reason. He had no control over himself and could go crazy at any time, just like he did as he ran through the Nether, just like he did as he killed False and nearly ended Xisuma. Tango was as rabid as whatever had gotten Xisuma that night at Doc’s speakeasy and at least now the demon knew what his death message would be when the Hermits decided they had finally had enough of him.</p><p>“Impulse don’t you-” The door screeched across the obsidian floor and Tango felt Impulse wrap his arms around him. The redstoner struggled from his crouch to instead kneel as he tightened his grip on Tango.</p><p>“Something’s wrong, X.” Impulse swallowed, holding Tango closer as the demon truly broke into sobs and dug his fingers into Impulse’s backplate. Tango made sure to be wary of his claws but he couldn’t stop his tears, pressing his face into Impulse’s chestplate. “Does this look like a murderer to you? What- what about those books you got from the End?”</p><p>“Oh goodness me.” Xisuma said, voice small.</p><p>“I’m so sorry.” Tango gasped. He flinched when another hand was laid on his back but when Zedaph joined the hug and Tango could feel himself shaking the effort to stop crying all over them. “I- I don’t know what happened. I’m so sorry for- for- for <em>killing</em> False and for hurting you I don’t know what came over me I- I- I-”</p><p>“Tango, mate.” Zedaph said firmly. He grabbed Tango by the shoulders and forced the demon to look at him. Tango just sniffled and drooped. He couldn’t bare it. He couldn’t. He was so tired and so cold and the crying was not helping how dizzy he was. “Everyone is fine. You- whatever happened there wasn’t you and I’ll be the first to admit that it was terrible but everyone is fine.”</p><p>“I killed False! How is that <em>fine</em>!?” Tango snapped. He shrunk back and pushed himself away from Zedaph and Impulse and curled up again, murmuring an apology into his knees as Zedaph’s face twisted into one of rage. The man was usually a very happy person, but he was plenty terrifying in full diamond gear.</p><p>And yet he turned to Xisuma with his rage, not Tango. “You didn’t tell him!?”</p><p>“X!”</p><p>“I’m going to be honest with you my friends I didn’t think about it but I’ve remembered something much more important-”</p><p>“You didn’t think to tell him he didn’t actually kill anyone!?” Zedaph shouted, and Tango had never heard Zedaph shout before, but he was more interested in what he said than the way he said it in that moment.</p><p>“You’re… you’re telling me False is okay?”</p><p>Impulse and Zedaph whipped around to look at him from where they had been glaring at Xisuma out in the hall. “Grian used some magic and got us all out of there. When he did that, X and False were healed. So were we, hence, yenno, no scars.”</p><p>Tango sat there, once again stunned into silence. His friends didn’t hate him. His friends were <em>alive</em>. Zedaph and Impulse had been searching for Tango so diligently they stalked Xisuma all the way out of the Overworld (now that Tango thought about it, it made sense that he was in the End, it being cold and the air being to thin. Smart move on Xisuma). Zedaph’s chest wasn’t torn open, Tango didn’t know how he didn’t realize the absence of scars on Impulse’s face, and somewhere in the Overworld False was kicking around kicking butt.</p><p>The demon crumpled into a relieved heap, letting out a shaky sigh. Man, it was hard to breathe End air. Xisuma sighed too and when Tango looked up, the Voidkind was in the room without using his magic to control Tango.</p><p>“Tango, my friend, I… I am so sorry.” Tango would have told Xisuma to be quiet, that he was the sorry one, but he was well and truly stunned into silence as he pressed his back into the chest full of uneaten food. “If it’s any consolation, I believe I know what happened now. This book- it is mostly myth, but there is a story of demons possessing mind control powers. Ones that are dominated by eyesight. Perhaps what happened to you wasn’t at all a case of losing yourself, but being controlled.”</p><p>Tango was so happy he was going to pass out.</p><p>Oh.</p><p>He did pass out.</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter Twenty Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>finally,,,, some team ZIT.,.. i've been waiting for this,,, and I wrote the fic,,,...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ow ow ow ow Stress<em> Stress </em>ouch! Stahp it!” Grian hissed, folding his wing back behind his back. They and his hands were tender after using so much magic, and the muscles in his wings had seized up after not being used in so long. Stress was doing her best to heal them, but only so much could be done when it wasn’t a wound. That meant physical therapy for Grian, therapy in which he and his stupid limbs refused to behave in.</p><p>“Grian! It’s going to hurt. It won’t get better if you don’t exercise.” Scolded the druid.</p><p>Next to them was a groan, Stress and Grian giving each other sheepish looks as they realized maybe they should have been a bit quieter. Grian shuffled around on his bed and Stress quickly left to get Xisuma as Tango came back to himself, chest heaving as he took in big gulps of Overworld air and the red of his cheeks began to flare. Even though Impulse and Zedaph had told Grian Tango regretted what he did and Xisuma explained that his mother had been controlling him with the same magic she used on Grian, the Admin was obviously a bit tense.</p><p>The demon tried to rub his face, and half succeeded. His right hand scrubbed across his scruffy jaw but his left wrist remained tightly bound to the bedframe by a lead. His eyes suddenly snapped open and Grian jolted back, but once Tango took in his surroundings and realized they had been tucked into a corner of Xisuma’s base he began to deflate. His gleaming red eyes fell on Grian and the Admin tried to smile. “Heyy Tango…”</p><p>“Oh, Grian,” The demon frowned. He struggled to sit up with only one arm to help him, throwing his legs over the side of the bed. His wrist was still tied down, but there was enough lax to let him twist it so his arm wasn’t bent in weird positions. “Uh, thank you.”</p><p>“Thank you?” Grian echoed.</p><p>“For. Getting me out of there. Saving everyone.”</p><p>“They told me everything. I know it wasn’t you… don’t beat yourself up Tango.” The Admin let out a heavy sigh and felt his aching wings curl tighter to his back. “I know exactly where you’re sitting right now. And everyone forgave me. Don’t let how you think everyone is going to react change you. You’re a good guy and we all really care about you.”</p><p>Tango dipped his head and swallowed. What was he meant to say to that?</p><p>“You’re awake!” Impulse delighted, running in and throwing his arms around Tango’s shoulders. This hug was much less pointy, seeing Impulse was lacking his chest and backplate. Zedaph was ruffling Tango’s hair next, pulling on the flimsy Nether wear the demon still had on.</p><p>“Tango’s back!”</p><p>“What is with you people and crowding my patients who have just woken up?” Stress complained from the doorway, hands on her hips, eyebrow arched. Zedaph and Impulse only grinned as Tango and Grian laughed and Xisuma patted her on the back in fond recognition of the headaches the Hermits had caused her over the last week. The healer wobbled back over to Grian, pinching his arm and sending him a mischievous smile. “Don’t think Tango waking up has saved you from your therapy Mr.”</p><p>“Huh?” Said Tango from underneath Impulse and Zedaph.</p><p>“Uh, my wings and my hands got pretty banged up from my magic.” Grian offered Tango a smile. The demon didn’t take it, face fallen. “It’s fine though! How are you feeling?”</p><p>“Yes, Tango, I’m awfully sorry. Are you feeling better?” Said Xisuma from the doorway.</p><p>“Woozy, but fine. I want to sleep for ten years.”</p><p>“Soon.” Xisuma smiled, waving his hand. The lead around Tango’s wrist went loose and he brought it to his chest, rubbing the raw marks on his wrist with a small, relived sigh. Impulse and Zedaph sat on either side of him and it was a small gesture Tango didn’t realize he needed. He really missed Team ZIT. They needed to do more stuff together. “On a much more serious note, I believe I’ve found what got you in the Nether in the first place, my friend. My brewing stand has been thoroughly mutilated and the Nether potions smashed. I think being exposed to that triggered something and sent you to your mother, who then had her magic. And… my portal is… broken. All of the portals have been tampered with. The obsidian is infected.”</p><p>“Does it look like it’s crying?” Asked Tango as his mind tried to wrap around everything Xisuma had just dumped on him. “Crying obsidian is a crafting resource. No one really knows how it happens, just that it… does.”</p><p>“Well, that’s good to know. What we can take from this is that unless anyone makes anymore portals, no one will be able to get into the Overworld.” Xisuma seemed to almost deflate with relief. He walked over to Grian and began examining his hands without another word, which is when Tango finally focused on them.</p><p>The skin was brittle and cracked and deathly pale. Where one would expect the red soreness that would appear on such light and agitated skin, there was instead a blackened char. Grian seemed to be taking the effort not to move his hands or his fingers much because of the black cracks that ran up almost all the way to his elbows, but under Xisuma’s watchful eye he spread his palm flat. The Admin hissed in pain and the blackened cracks split further open, a purple glow erupting from his skin. Tango watched with wide eyes as Xisuma sighed and covered Grian’s hand with his own. He wanted to see what was happening, but Impulse elbowed him in the ribs.</p><p>“Do you think you’re up to going home?”</p><p>“Oh man,” Tango groaned, sitting up and cracking his back. He managed a tired grin and Impulse stood with him. “I mean, I don’t have any of my stuff but I’m ready to trek through the jungle if you are.”</p><p>“Stay in touch.” Xisuma said over his shoulder as Zedaph bounced towards the door and said bye to Stress. She was walking in with a bowl full of leaves that Impulse raised an eyebrow at and Grian made a high sound of pain behind Tango as he moved to join them. Stress gave the departing ZIT Team a terse smile.</p><p>“He’ll be alright. Be safe.”</p><p>As Impulse and Zedaph led Tango out of the Admin’s base, Tango couldn’t help but feel guilty about what had happened to Grian. The man was obviously in a lot of pain and Tango didn’t like thinking that Grian had been gritting his teeth while he told Tango to forgive himself, suffering to make Tango feel better in more ways then one. Other than starting a literal war with him, Tango never hung out with Grian much, and he really didn’t know why considering the two shared so much in common. A love for chaos, TNT, and dangerous backstories they really should have told the other Hermits about sooner.</p><p>“Hey dude,” Impulse frowned as they stepped into the hot air of the jungle. Tango took a deep breath. It was hot like the Nether but the humidity stuck to him and made him uncomfortable. The air certainly wasn’t as thin as it was in the End, but after spending a few days in the Nether, Tango found himself recognizing the difference of air quality more than usual. Impulse and Zedaph walked on either side of him, their very normal, mortal bodies keeping up with the world around them, completely content with living and dying and being human. “I hate to tell you this Tango but you were not meant for thinking.”</p><p>“Ow,” Snorted the man in question.</p><p>“We have more important things to worry about anyways.” Said Zedaph. “Thinking like that is well and useless.”</p><p>“Thank you for getting me out of there. Most epic break out ever. Even if I ruined it.” Tango smiled, trying to lighten the mood like Zedaph and Impulse were. He wasn’t sure how to go about it. It felt awkward and unnatural and it was taking too much effort not to imagine the face Zedaph made when Tango brought him down, or Impulse shouting from behind his shield, and maybe Tango should never, ever think again.</p><p>“Don’t talk like that.” Said Impulse. “You don’t sound like Tango. Stop it dude. No one is mad at you. It was… just… higher stakes PVP. We’re fine. Everyone is fine.”</p><p>“Do… you think I could see False?” Asked Tango, brushing some leaves out of the way.</p><p>Impulse and Zedaph looked at each other behind Tango’s back.</p><p>Zedaph raised an eyebrow.</p><p>Impulse shrugged. He was smacked in the face by a leaf.</p><p>Zedaph laughed and shrugged back.</p><p>Impulse tilted his head back and forth as if pondering.</p><p>“What are you two doing?” Snorted Tango, turning around on the path to glare at his friends.</p><p>“False!” Zedaph clipped. “Queen of Hearts and Body Parts and a very good boat rower-dragon killer. Let’s go see False!”</p><p>He began bolting down the trail. Tango raised an eyebrow at Impulse and he shrugged again before chasing Zedaph with a cry of “Wait up!” echoing through the trees and making a parrot complain in the distance. Tango felt… lighter, watching his friends disappear into the bushes. Those idiots always did make him feel better, and Tango began tearing through the bush after them.</p><p>The journey to False’s base would have been made several times faster if the three of them had used a single brain cell to realize stopping at one’s base, picking up some elytra and rockets, and flying would be much faster. Unfortunately, Team ZIT would much rather chase each other across a map, laughing and trying to find False fastest. It was dark as they arrived on her island, and from over the small hill in the center they heard cries of… anguish? Pain?</p><p>“Get- stop- ugh!! Get away from me you stupid over-glorified bats!”</p><p>Impulse vaulted over the lip of the boat he shared with Tango and quickly jogged over the hill, pulling his sword his belt. False was swiping at two phantoms that continued to dive at her, their sharp teeth biting at exposed skin and their talons raking across her arms or tugging at her hair. The usually pristine woman was struggling, double-fisting a light sword very uncharacteristically, swinging it at the phantoms in more of a lobbing motion then a swipe. When Tango and Zedaph joined Impulse on the hill, Tango frowned at the glimmer of a bowstring crossed over her chest in the low lighting.</p><p>“Looks like you’ve got some fun friends!” Zedaph beamed.</p><p>“Ugh!” False cried as one of them yanked a portion of her hair from its ponytail. “Well are one of you going to <em>help</em> me!?”</p><p>Tango flicked his wrists until fire filled his hands. While he missed Impulse’s flinch, he focused his aim perfectly and flicked his fire at the two phantoms circling False. With identical cries, the two creatures circled upwards into the night sky like beacons asking for more. That’s what Zedaph thought at least, as he drew his bow and sent an arrow through both of the phantom’s flat stupid skulls. The monsters fell into the water surrounding False’s island with twin splashes, the hisses of the fire meeting water soft compared to False’s ragged breathing.</p><p>The three men stood on top of the mound that was False’s home and watched the fighter shakily sheath her sword. She didn’t meet their eye as she tied her hair back up behind her head and began walking to her door. “What do you need?”</p><p>“Well- I wanted to apologize-” Tango was stopped by Impulse’s hand on his shoulder.</p><p>The other redstoner jumped down and followed False into her starter base. Zedaph and Tango slowly followed, hesitant of the sudden mood shift. “Uh, False, are you feeling okay? When was the last time you slept?”</p><p>“I’m, I’m <em>fine</em> Impulse. I’ve been spending a lot of time on my base. Goodnight.” Said the girl, unclipping her sword belt and leaving her goggles on the chest next to her bed.</p><p>“Ahh!” Zedaph yelped outside. He landed three arrows in a zombie and Tango lunged forwards to be at his aid, taking out his claws and digging them into the zombie’s chest before flicking them out and kicking its double dead corpse away. Zedaph swallowed a lump in his throat as Tango turned around, huffing, claws still out. Zedaph turned to False but heard the quiet <em>shhck</em> of Tango’s claws going back into his hands and shuddered. “False, why don’t you have any torches out here?”</p><p>Tango ushered Zedaph into False’s base and shut the door before pushing a chest in front of it and preventing any of the undead horde from getting in. False scowled at Team ZIT and sat on her bed. “Sure. Let yourselves in.” She murmured, pushing her fist into her eye and high heavily.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Asked Zedaph. Impulse sat next to False and put a hand on her back.</p><p>“Jus’ tired.”</p><p>“False, uh, I see that this maybe isn’t the best time but- I am… I’m crazy sorry.” Tango swallowed, standing close to the door despite the zombie trying to eat him through it. False looked at him properly for the first time, her scowl firm before it melted into something a lot sadder. She dropped her head and began to shake and Tango’s heart broke. He distantly thought he should have asked to see her before showing up at her base and the memory of leaving his communicator in the pocket of his old clothes left a stale taste in his mouth.</p><p>“It’s not, wow, it’s not you,” False gasped, rubbing at her face with her hands. She took in a shaking breath and it left her in a whine. “I’m not- crying- I’m not crying because, ugh, you, oh wow-”</p><p>Gathering her up in his arms, Impulse let False lean into him and cry into his shoulder. He frowned and rubbed her back, the mound silent but her crying. Zedaph sat on a random shulker and Tango stayed by the door, face solemn. He examined his shoes or- lack thereof. False pressed down her crying pretty quick, which wasn’t the healthiest thing, but was good for clarity. She shook her head and sighed heavily, giving the ZIT Team a broken smile.</p><p>“I’m sorry- I’m trying to get back in shape. I haven’t slept to summon the phantoms- I got rid of all my torches- I made sure my armor and my weapons were in a good state. I meditated for like two hours at sunrise like Wels did and I still can’t get it!” Everyone twinged at the mention of Wels.</p><p>“Get what?” Asked Zedaph, voice small.</p><p>“I can’t fight.” Said False miserably. “I get dizzy. Everything happens too fast. I get overwhelmed and I just start swinging and- and I just can’t fight.”</p><p>“Well that’s okay!” Impulse frowned, rubbing False’s back and trying to lift her spirits with a smile. “We can practice together in the morning. I’m… I’m no Wels, but I can do my best.” Said the redstoner. He leaned his head into False’s and she sniffled. “It’s going to be okay False. It’s going to be okay. You’re just a little sick right now. Give it some time.”</p><p>“Have you talked to Stress about this?” Asked Zedaph. “Cleo? Scar? Anyone who knows magic better than my amazing brain?”</p><p>“It’s the hard reset.” Said Tango. The image of Grian’s blackened hands came to him and he felt like the world was going to swallow him and he <em>deserved </em>it. “Mortal bodies can’t handle that much magic.”</p><p>The girl on the bed looked small and defeated. She rubbed the palms of her hands into his eye sockets and made a sad sound in the back of her throat. “So I’m stuck like this? Unable to defend myself?” She looked at her lap and Tango made the brave move to walk over and sit on her other side. False had never realized how much the man radiated heat, or how brightly his eyes glowed in low lighting.</p><p>Tango pat False’s back like Impulse and tried for a smile. “Not forever. What you need right now is rest, Falsie. I… I’m so sorry for what I did. I never wanted this to happen and I promise you, I <em>promise</em>, I will do whatever I can to make you better.”</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter Twenty Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Grian flinched so hard he woke up. The sharp air of the ugliest biome was cold and did nothing to help the pebbling goosebumps on his arms. The smell of earth was gritty and Grian collapsed back into bed to catch his breath as rain dappled over him. He really needed to build a shelter for the nights he crashed outside his mansion. The red and purple swirling at the edge of his vision were slow to fade, the imprint of haunting eyes fading as he blinked his open and glared at the storm clouds in annoyance. The clouds only stared right back, sending down more rain. Grian distantly realized he could turn it off if he wanted to, but that was too much effort for his sleep-addled brain.</p><p>The water clicked against the stone around him and soaked his mostly ignored bed. Grian grumbled as he stood up to examine the damage that had quite literally rained down as he tried to sleep. He thought to search for his shoes but the cool stone on his feverish skin was nice, so Grian decided to enjoy the rain, a rare commodity on Hermitcraft. He had seen the code of how frequent it would rain that was installed when Xisuma first joined their ranks compared to the average code and whenever the Admin thought about it, he got very happy knowing the Hermits truly did look out for each other, fiercely so. He tilted his head back and let it soak him further. Even with the clouds, it was so dark Grian could tell it was night. The land around him was still, quiet but the siren sound of rain and the quiet crackle of still-burning torches. It was quiet bliss, rivaled only by the hum of the server alive.</p><p>The Hermit took the chance to spread his wings.</p><p>He flinched when he did, sharp pain sparking through his wings. The magic bestowed upon him what felt like a millennia ago was still leaving fire in his veins. His hands were cracked still, but were slowly regaining their colour, his wings tense but at least the rambunctious Hermit was able to fly again. He could never sit still for long, but the quiet reprieve in the soothing rain felt <em>glorious.</em></p><p>When Grian rolled his shoulders, his wings twinged again. He instinctually curled them back to his body, something itching between the strange golden feathers he had come to appreciate. The rain made his feathers fluff up and reminded Grian how in need they were of a preening, so he sat on the soaked stone and began to pull bent and fallen feathers from where they had been lodged for far too long. It took a long time, sitting in the chilling rain, removing every bad feather after letting them twist and grind for so long, but when he finished the red and purple from his dreams were mere ghosts and he was ready for sleep again.</p><p>The rain slowed to a drizzle. Grian looked at his ruined bed and grumbled about the walk back to his Hobbit hole, reminding himself once more that he needed a proper place to sleep in his proper base. As he began walking, the Hermit heard a <em>woosh</em> behind him and stiffened. Grian tried to keep walking forwards to be less suspicious before turning on heel and propelling himself forwards on his wings. It hurt, it hurt like the Nether, but he held his sword out to the Voidkind in front of him with a firm grimace.</p><p>Xisuma took in a sharp breath and held up his hands. “I didn’t mean to startle you my friend.”</p><p>“Oh. X.” Grian frowned. He pushed his fringe back from where it was plastered to his forehead and sheathed his sword. “Sorry. I thought you were- I thought you were something else.”</p><p>The two Admins hadn’t ever really spoken since being in the Nether. It hadn’t been long since then, but it had been particularly awkward seeing that Xisuma had put himself, Stress, and Scar in charge of making sure Grian wasn’t going to sneak out and kill himself building while his wings and hands were out of commission. Grian knew Xisuma was still mad at him and was fully expecting another berating, whether it be for not taking care of himself or a repeat of everything unfolding before them being his fault. The smaller of the Admins knew fully well everything was his fault. He didn’t need it rubbed in every day for the rest of his life.</p><p>And Grian loved Xisuma, he really did. He loved Xisuma for letting him become a Hermit, for being his friend, for allowing him to become an Admin (even if he sucked at it). Unfortunately, Xisuma was the last thing Grian wanted to see after a nightmare, a Voidkind <em>with </em>red eyes. The two worst things at that moment for sure. Xisuma seemed to know it too, and that was worse, because he began shrinking into himself. The rain was leaving more stars on his skin and when Grian realized he frowned.</p><p>“Come on X, you can’t be in the rain this long.” Said the human in a small voice, walking past the other Admin and leading him under the giant platform his base was currently perched on. Underneath was a giant empty space, lit by torches. Even if it was damp it was far drier then the rain outside, and the torches and the flat, grey walls trapped heat like a furnace. Even Grian, who was quite happy in the rain, sighed in relief at the warmth against his cooled skin.</p><p>Grian laid himself out across the stone floor, which was still fairly chilly. He shut his eyes and fought off the sleep that came for him. Silent as ever, Xisuma settled on a small raise of dirt and leaned over himself. Silence between the two hung heavy, only cut by the rain outside and the crackling of dozens of torches. Xisuma sighed. “How are you feeling?”</p><p>“Tired,” Hummed Grian.</p><p>“Fair. Listen, my friend-”</p><p>“Spare me,” Said Grian quietly, opening his eyes and looking at the dark ceiling. “I know what you’re going to tell me. And if, if you want to be the only Admin, just do it already. I’m sorry I let you down.”</p><p>“Grian, no.” Xisuma frowned. “I don’t want to take away your Admin magic, I want to apologize. I lashed out at you and I should have kept my cool. I know better than anyone how hard it is to wrestle these idiots all by yourself. I never properly thanked you for saving me either. I feel… terrible, my friend, that you’ve been hurt so badly trying to be an Admin all by yourself because I failed the Hermits.”</p><p>The builder sat up with a scowl. “You didn’t fail anybody.”</p><p>“This isn’t about me,” Said Xisuma, even though something in him really needed someone to say that and it felt really good to hear it from Grian. “Do you accept my apology Grian?”</p><p>“I appreciate it.” Said Grian distantly. He raised an eyebrow. “Why else are you here?”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“You wouldn’t risk your life tracking me down in the rain in the middle of the night when you could have just slept and done it in the morning when it wasn’t raining anymore.”</p><p>“Well- okay- I also wanted to discuss our next steps as in protecting everyone but my main reason as to coming here was to apologize.” Xisuma shifted his weight which was basically the Voidkind equivalent of blushing. “You’re a friend, Grian. I want you to know that I truly do feel awful for yelling at you or- or scaring you, or whatever happened.”</p><p>“Thank you, X.” Grian smiled, relief curling in the pit of his stomach. “So. What do you have for me?”</p><p>“I’m sick of the fighting.” Xisuma said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a thick book Grian had never seen before. He raised an eyebrow to tell Xisuma to continue and the Voidkind gladly did. “This book details myths from both the Deep Void and the Deep Nether. The book interprets them as myths because of the lack of evidence, but it’s also the only historical records of the Deep Nether I was able to find in the entirety of Ex’s- of <em>my </em>library. And it’s a big library. Anyways! One of the myths says that demons wanted the Deep Nether to live in harmony with the rest of dimensions.”</p><p>“Are you sure about that?” Snorted Grian, shuffling through his own bag for some golden carrots. He handed some over to Xisuma before leaning back with his own. “The demons I met seemed more-<em> stabby</em>.”</p><p>“Because Voidkind obliterated the Nether. They saw the demons as a threat to their role as gods and wiped out the ecosystem in the Nether, pushing it back to the Deep Nether. That’s why we haven’t seen any of it until now.” Xisuma explained. When Xisuma was passionate or excited about something you could hear it in his voice. He talked with his hands too, and even though the book he held was closed, Grian could tell from the shine in Xisuma’s super nova eyes that he was imagining the exact pages that held the text. “It’s also why the demons were so hostile towards me, right? My kind almost wiped out their kind. I think their- as you so eloquently put it- stabbiness is a defence mechanism!”</p><p>“But- the trespassing? The accusations of us kidnapping Tango?”</p><p>“Tango said it himself. Tavelia is a big momma bear. She probably felt threatened and hurt.” Said Xisuma. “When I came along looking the way I do now, I think I only exasperated the problem.”</p><p>“Oh wow,” Grian frowned, rubbing his forehead. “But- the coliseum? That was terrifying!”</p><p>“Anthropology is something else. I certainly can’t explain that away but I can almost guarantee that it’s all based in culture.” Xisuma pulled the book open and slid it into Grian’s lap with a big grin. “I think if we can… arrange a peaceful meeting between the Hermits and the High Court… everything will settle down and be much easier.”</p><p>“How could we go about that without putting anyone in danger?”</p><p>“Perhaps Tango leads the group? I could stay behind?” Xisuma rubbed his face with a grumble. “Hmph. I didn’t think this far.”</p><p>“How about we gather a group of people willing to go first. <em>And </em>ask Tango above all else. He’s… he’s really beating himself up over this.” Grian sighed and thought of the lonely feeling he had when the Hermits first tried to return to normalcy after everything with the Amendments happened. “He may not even want to go to the Nether again. We can’t take him somewhere that will make him uncomfortable and expect the man to be fully rational. Or- at least as rational as a Tango can be.”</p><p>Xisuma grinned and found it in himself to laugh. He rose from his spot and happily took back the precious book as Grian held it out for him. “You’re right my friend. But now it’s late, the rain has stopped, and the both of us should really get some proper sleep.”</p><p>Looking outside, Grian saw that Xisuma was right. It was still dark with night but the rained had stopped and sleep was tugging on Grian’s awareness again. He nodded and got to his feet, stretching out. He expected a twinge of pain but there was none, just the glorious feeling of recently preened wings stretching out and testing all the muscles that had been sore so long. Grian let himself smile and neatly folded them again after seeing Xisuma smirk. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, my friend.”</p><p>“Oh hush it.” Grinned Grian, walking towards the door. “Thank you, X. Goodnight dude.”</p><p>The human spread his wings and took off with a sharp snap of his feathers, disappearing into the moonlight of the now clear night. He was definitely heading towards the nearest bed that hadn’t been soaked by the rain. Xisuma smiled and teleported himself back to his base. It was much quieter without anyone sick tucked away. The silence was weighed out by the peace and Xisuma collapsed into the nearest bed and passed out for the first time that night.</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter Twenty Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Tango my friend!”</p><p>“Oh no,” Tango sighed, slumping over his latest anvil launcher before turning to Xisuma behind him. “what can I do for you X?”</p><p>Xisuma stood on top of one of Tango’s towers and looked at the strangle amalgamation of pistons, honey blocks, and slime blocks. He was smiling, trying to appear the least threatening, and walked around the hole in the roof to try and get a good view of the strange redstone as Tango reached back into the hole and began working on its parts. “I was hoping I could talk to you about going back to the Nether.”</p><p>The demon stiffened. He reached further into his contraption to hide his face and let out a shuddering breath as visions of the coliseum flashed through his vision, False struggling to lift her sword, Impulse and Zedaph flinching around him, Grian’s hurt hands. He swallowed and tried to appear nonchalant. “I don’t think that’s the best idea man.”</p><p>“No, no, hear me out my friend. Grian and I agreed we want peace between the Nether and the Overworld.” Xisuma said, sitting down and smiling when Tango glanced at him. “You said it yourself that your mother is simply protective. No one will force you to go to the Nether or make you see her, but you are our best chance in getting on her good side. Your comfort is of course more important than Grian or I’s plans, so I wanted to ask if <em>you</em> would be alright. If there were no outside influences, if you didn’t have to think about the wellbeing of the rest of the Hermits, what do <em>you</em> want, Tango?”</p><p>For the first time since the beginning of their conversation, Tango pulled himself out of his redstone machine and sat across from Xisuma, frowning. He couldn’t look in the Admin’s eyes much longer and instead went to staring at his lap, flush gathering in his cheeks.</p><p>“You have a family here with the Hermits, Tango.” Said Xisuma quietly. “I want you to feel safe. If you think you’ll lose control in the Nether, I won’t make you go there.”</p><p>“I don’t want to hurt anyone.”</p><p>Distantly, Xisuma wondered if Grian doing this would have been the smarter option.</p><p>“Do you remember the first fight with the Amendments? Went it was just a few of us against all of them and I was out of the fight in the first ten seconds?” Xisuma asked. Tango snorted. A smirk kicked at his lips as he tried to picture it. As terrifying as it had been, the rush of adrenaline was amazing and it felt awesome to beat the dude who had been making fun of him. Xisuma smiled too. “I don’t remember much, but I do remember you letting Cleo bite you so she wouldn’t hurt anyone else. You could have died, but you did it because you wanted to keep everyone safe.”</p><p>You’re a good man who makes sacrifices for his friends.” Said the Admin, shuffling to sit next Tango. “Let us make a few sacrifices for you. I trust you, Tango. I know that what happened in that coliseum wasn’t you and wasn’t your fault. You have to trust us to trust you or nothing is ever going to get back to normal.”</p><p>Tango’s eyes were still glued his lap. “I wake up there sometimes.”</p><p>“Grian wakes up in the Deep End. I scared him last night, he almost stabbed me.”</p><p>“What?” Tango asked, finally looking up at Xisuma.</p><p>“I know you and Grian aren’t as close as say- he and Mumbo, but the man has lived a long life. I’ll let him tell the whole story, but threaten his friends- Grian will do anything. As you saw in the coliseum.” Xisuma dropped his head and sighed. “The Amendments did terrible things to Grian. And now that I look like the way I used to, when he’s panicking, I look like an Amendment. So last night, I found him outside of his base, but he wasn’t expecting me and tried to slash me with his sword before he realized what he was doing.”</p><p>“I had no idea.” Said Tango.</p><p>Xisuma pat Tango on the back and tried to give him his best comforting smile. Voidkind smiles were kind of terrifying, but Tango appreciated the gesture. “We all have complicated pasts. What matters is if we let them control us or not. It’s a process."</p><p>"Take some time to think about it.” Said Xisuma after a stretch of silence. “I know most of us are lacking a communicator- but I’ll either be in my jungle or the shopping district. Good luck with your… whatever this is.” With a final smack to Tango’s back and smiling glance at the anvil launcher, Xisuma took off and began gliding over the sea. The demon curled his knees to his chest and watched his Admin disappear onto the horizon.</p><p>----------</p><p>When one was as old as Tango, the past was an incredibly tricky thing. Something that had happened a millennia ago was still fresh in his mind but sometimes he forgot to eat breakfast. Tango could remember in vivid detail the first time he met the Hermits. The first of them he had ever seen was Mumbo. In the Overworld to explore the magic of redstone, Tango had grown a reputation. A demon, a race that was thought to be extinct, making redstone contraptions that no one had ever thought of? He was the first in more ways then one when Mumbo had contacted him for help with an iron farm.</p><p>Being truly among mortals for the first time had been right terrifying. Mumbo was kind enough, even if he was awkward. At that point Tango was still high on the idea of being a demon in the Overworld and didn’t much care for the Hermit’s opinions, especially when he looked over his shoulder and saw people talking with Mumbo, plain eyes trained on him as he rewired the iron farm. One of them had been Xisuma, and when Tango was near what the mortals had called an ‘Admin’ he could smell the void on him.</p><p>When Tango tried to leave, Mumbo let him go without complaint, thanking him for the help. Those who had been watching him work quickly left once Tango’s hands were no longer full. The demon had begun walking towards the Nether portal, ready to go home for a few months, when Xisuma had stopped him.</p><p>“Mumbo really appreciates you helping him, my friend. My name is Xisuma.”</p><p>“We are not friends.” Said Tango, eyes narrowed. He wasn’t sure why this very human looking thing smelled so strongly of void or wore a helmet that obstructed his face. Whatever it was, it had made Tango uncomfortable and he didn’t trust it.</p><p>“A figure of speech,” Xisuma chuckled. He sounded care-free, like all the mortals Tango had met. They were strange creatures, so limited in themselves but made happy by simple things- like Mumbo agonizing over a simple comparator in his iron farm. Tango had tried to walk through the portal again before Xisuma put a hand on his chest. His hand was cold, ice cold, and Tango didn’t like it, but he stopped. “I don’t know if Mumbo told you, but this group is called the Hermits. We gather people all around and bring them together, builders, redstoners, adventurers, fighters. Consider joining us, perhaps? You know where to find us when you’ve made up your mind.”</p><p>Then, Tango had only given Xisuma a terse nod and left. Seeing the empty Nether the mortals knew was always strange, but the walk was short after being away from home for so long. The walk had given Tango time to agonize.</p><p>The eyes on him were uncomfortable, but the mortals he had talked to were kind and pretty funny. Tango surmised that he too would have stared if a race that was supposed to be extinct showed up at his fortress and began fixing all of his things. Looking at what they had built was even stranger. Such delicate things had made an entire civilization beneath their feet in only a few short years. They were incredibly powerful, a force to be reckoned with, and Tango was terrified. He was shaken by the breakable little creatures and was terrified he could snap one in half if he looked at them for too long.</p><p>So he went home. He was always greeted with smiles and open arms when he was home.</p><p>Tavelia held him tightly. She always missed him and his absences took clear tolls on her.</p><p>----------</p><p> </p><p>On the roof of Toon Towers, Tango paused and dropped his head. His absences took a toll on her even when they were only weeks at a time.</p><p>When he had returned the year before, it was for business, not to see Tavelia. He had barely spoken to her. Tango considered the Hermits his family, especially Team ZIT, and wondered how broken up he would be if he only saw them once every few years and they barely talked the entire time. The ache that was taking place inside of Tango was growing, making him feel heavy.</p><p>Was he at fault?</p><p>Had he wronged his mom?</p><p>----------</p><p>When he had first hugged her after meeting Xisuma, that was the first time he had well and truly seen his mother angry at him. She had pushed him away abruptly, grabbed him by the shirt, and dragged him away from the prying eyes of the council. At that time she wasn’t Head Chair and having a misbehaving son could be bad for her, so berating him in private was a much nicer alternative. Once they were alone in their family’s chambers, Tavelia really did let him have it.</p><p>“Where were you!?” She had snarled.</p><p>“Just in the Overworld! I was working with redstone, it’s really amazing stuff you should come up there and see it one time-”</p><p>“If you were in the Overworld, why do you smell like Voidkind!?”</p><p>Oh. <em>Oh.</em> “There was- the leader. He- I smelled void on him, but I didn’t realize he was Voidkind.” Tango said distantly. “I was only with him for a moment, I promise I’m okay mom. I won’t go back.”</p><p>“Oh, my son…” Tavelia had pulled Tango into another hug. He hugged her back of course, frowning at the floor over her shoulder. Her outbursts were wild like the fire they lived in and he could feel her heart pounding where she held him the closest. She pulled back only to speak, cupping Tango’s face with clammy hands. “You know what those terrible creatures have done to us. You know they will hurt you the second you let your guard down. I don’t want you ever going back there. Do you understand me Tango? Never go back to that place. Promise me.”</p><p>“I promise. I’m okay, really, they just wanted help with a redstone machine I made.”</p><p>“Enough of that.” Said Tavelia, voice soft. “Go change. Burn those clothes.”</p><p>----------</p><p>Tango pulled the collar of his shirt over his nose and took a deep breath. He didn’t smell void anymore. Even with his superior demon nose, even though the shirt he currently wore was from the Nether, all Tango could smell was the Overworld. All he could smell was redstone, and dirt, and concrete powder that made his nose itch. He could smell sweat and the salt of the ocean. There was no brimstone and smoke and stink of lava. The shirt smelled like home and when that thought passed through Tango’s head he got very, very sad.</p><p>His mother had obviously been terrible to him. Why did Tango feel the need to rebuild any part of their relationship? Why did he feel the need to apologize for finding his place among the Hermits?</p><p>----------</p><p>“You’re spending too much time in the Overworld, my son,” Tavelia said as she led him down one of the long halls of their fortress. “You don’t even look like yourself.”</p><p>Her warm hand had cupped Tango’s face and tucked his hair behind his ears, pulling the mess of it out of his face. Tavelia’s smile was wearing when she kissed Tango on the forehead and pat his cheek before continuing to stroll down the hall. “You’re pale. You smell of Void. I haven’t seen you use your magic since you arrived.”</p><p>“What?” Tango asked. He shook his hands, feeling sparks crackle across his fingers before engulfing his hands. “I still have my magic!”</p><p>When he turned to look beside him, Tavelia was gone. He spun in the search for her, and lo and behold, she stood twenty feet down the hall, purple particles swirling at her feet. “Follow me then.” She challenged. “If you precious Hermits haven’t twisted you into something you’re not, come and get me.”</p><p>----------</p><p>Looking up from where he was picking at a hole in his pant leg, Tango admired Impulse’s base in the distance. He could see the other Hermit flitting around it in the distance. He was moving before he was thinking, jumping off of the tower and sailing down to his cabin on his elytra. He tore through his chests for a set of clothes that was more like him, more Tango, less whatever Tavelia wanted him to be.</p><p>Finally back in his own skin, Tango kicked open his elytra and flew right to Impulse’s base. As he soared through the air Impulse caught sight of him and grinned. “What are you doing here dude!?” He called over the roar of wind. At this angle Tango could see that Impulse was adding orange accents to his base to liven it up and change the pallet, and it looked amazing, but that wasn’t what Tango cared around at that point. No, instead he fired three more rockets in quick procession and tackled Impulse into the pyramid base.</p><p>Impulse yelped and dropped the concrete he was holding, beginning to struggle and try to push Tango off when his back hit the floor and the wind was knocked out of him. When Impulse tried to push Tango away again, the demon just adjusting his grip and gave Impulse the tightest hug he could manage. “I’m sorry dude. I’m so sorry. I know you don’t want me to feel bad but- but I do, and, and I’m so sorry that you don’t trust me to be myself anymore and I’m, I’m going to work on it, Xisuma and Grian want me to make a truce with the Nether, and I’m gonna get better. I’ll be better I promise.”</p><p>“You’re an idiot.” The man in his arms had stopped struggling once Tango started talking, but he only wrapped his arms around Tango and let his head smack into the stone floor too when the demon finished. “You’re already amazing Tango. I’m not mad at you in the slightest, I was worried about you dude. Mind letting go of me?”</p><p>Shooting up with an embarrassed smile, Tango rubbed his nose on the back of his wrist and sniffling. Tears were building in his eyes and Impulse shifted closer to give him a proper hug. “Everything is going to be okay, Tango. I promise you. And uh, what did you say about… making peace with the Nether?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter Twenty Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>From that point, a plan was hatched. Xisuma would construct a new Nether portal in a hidden room under his base. Redstoners would make a combination locked door in and out of the room. A small group would do with Grian and Tango into the Nether while Xisuma hung back and watched over the Overworld and the adventurer’s code.</p><p>Cub and Scar volunteered their magic. Steeling herself, Stress went in event they would need a healer, even though the girl crossed her fingers that it wouldn’t be needed. False, Impulse, and Zedaph agonizingly stayed behind, barred from the Nether not only by Xisuma who had taken the time to scold them for putting themselves and everyone else in danger, but by their newfound weaknesses against the enemies they could be facing. Xb and Hypno stepped up, offering their help, but Xisuma and Grian agreed the group should stay small. The two helped in another way, while Mumbo and Iskall and Doc began building the most confusing piston door they could think of in order to protect Hermitcraft from whatever monsters would come out of the Nether.</p><p>Xb was walking through his apocalyptic build contest, quite chuffed with the results, when he heard fire crackling behind him, and lots of it. The man quickly ducked inside one of the houses, who built it he couldn’t recall, and ducked below the window with a sharp breath. He wasn’t wearing armor. He was building, and wearing armor while building was just uncomfortable. Reaching towards his belt, Xb let out a small sigh of relief as his hand clasped around the hilt of his diamond sword.</p><p>He peeked out the purposely cracked window. It left little of a view since the shattered glass cut through his line of sight but what Xb did see, he didn’t like. A demon woman with fiery eyes and coiled golden hair marched down his street. Behind her was a legion of demons, followed by wither skeletons armed with crossbows and spectral arrows. Her feet sparked, leaving flames behind her, scorching the dry ground on which she walked on and leaving a trail of fire in her wake. Xb swallowed and ducked his head lower as the wither archers loomed closer, empty eye sockets somehow armed with perfect aim. He scrambled for his communicator, typing a hurried message and slumping against the wall with a relieved sigh when it sent silently.</p><p>
  <em>XbCrafted: Theres a demon army by my build contest</em>
</p><p>A beep came from outside. The clatter of the regime’s steps stopped suddenly and Xb felt himself freeze with fear.</p><p>“Burn the whole place down.” Said a scolding feminine voice.</p><p>----------</p><p>Quite literally across the world, Xisuma was sorting through the code by the empty Nether portal frame, the redstoners completing the door watching over him as they took shifts working. Grian was above with those who were meant to go into the Nether, preparing potions, armor, and weapons. More so, they were preparing what they would say to the High Court once in their presence and what the back up plan was if everything went terribly wrong.</p><p>And of course, as Xisuma was checking the world border, Iskall’s communicator just <em>had</em> to beep twice.</p><p>“X,” Said the redstoner, voice taunt. “X. I think we may have to rethink our plan.”</p><p>Mumbo snatched up the communicator. “Pants.” He scowled, before Doc took the communicator. Before he could read the death message, Xisuma took the communicator and glared at the tiny screen. The Admin felt his heart drop and teleported up to Grian to explain the situation as Doc caught the dreadful machine and read the screen himself.</p><p>
  <em>XbCrafted was burnt to a crisp while fighting a Demon</em>
</p><p>When Xisuma appeared next to Grian, the other Admin was looking at Stress’ communicator. “Okay fellas, new plan! We’re going to fly to Xb’s base right now. Actually- Cub, we’ll go to your pyramid and work outwards from there since they’re lost as we are and are searching for the nearest thing to tear down. Tango- you are going to go in first but you have to keep your eyes closed. We’ll cover you from any offending fire and you have to trust us to keep you safe. I can stay in the air to keep a view on everything, but I want Stress on the ground at all times and either Scar or Cub on Tango’s sides. Good? Good. Okay, we’re running out of time, let’s go.”</p><p>As the party nodded and began moving to the door, Grian turned to Xisuma and gave the Voidkind a wonky grin. “Oh hey X. Don’t worry. Got it all under control.” Then the man opened his wings and flew out the door. Rockets sounded behind him as the Hermits tasked with calming down the raging demons followed on their elytras</p><p>Watching them fly off, Xisuma could only hope he wasn’t going to be the deciding factor in all of this. He could only hope he hadn’t decided the Hermit’s fate the second he walked into the Nether.</p><p>The group landed on the side of Cub’s pyramid. With a soft word that everyone stay put, Grian took to the sky. What he saw was fire, endless fire, engulfing the horizon. He wasn't sure how the demons had covered so much ground, Xb's base being so far away, but at that time Grian could only hope that Xb was safe somewhere and the destruction did spread to Cleo's base either. The Admin swallowed hard as he looked along the flames for a peek of his friend retreating or the army he had described, but all Grian could see was the wall of flame.</p><p>Letting himself drop back to the side of the pyramid, he scowled once he noticed from this vantage points the Hermits could see what he did. “Let’s keep the high ground. They’re obviously on this side of the peninsula and will be coming towards us.”</p><p>“I am so sorry.” Said Tango, watching the fire eat up his home. Wasn’t firetick off? This was meant to be impossible! He glanced at his friends and at the fire and he didn’t know whether to be relieved or disgusted when his demon eyes caught the silhouettes of his parents walking out of the flame, backed by other members of the High Council and a legion of wither skeletons. “I see them, guys, I see them. There.”</p><p>Everyone followed where Tango’s finger pointed. They saw nothing but the flames. Tango grit his teeth, he knew it wasn’t their fault they couldn’t see, but the fear bubbling up inside of him was threatening to spill over. The demon took a calm breath. He shut his eyes for a moment, like he had seen False do several times before, and when he breathed out the black dots on the horizon were only getting closer. He could have sworn he saw someone point at him, and Tango felt his fangs poke at his lips as a growl built in his throat. “They see us.”</p><p>“Who sees us?” Asked Scar, straining his neck higher like maybe he wasn’t tall enough.</p><p>Grian took to the air again and flew towards the fire, staying high in the air. Finally, the speckles of the army came into his view. He felt like throwing up when they did, the sheer number of wither skeletons trailing behind the very angry looking demons too many, but he quickly turned lest Tavelia’s eyes catch his weakness once more. He swung around the Hermits and landed next to Tango. “Are you ready man?”</p><p>“Oh, I hope I am.” Swallowed Tango. Grian smacked him on the back and Tango began walking down the awkward steps of the pyramid. He didn’t even have to turn around to know what Grian’s face looked like. “I know, I know, high ground bladdy blah blah! Trust me on this!”</p><p>MOM!” Tango shouted about halfway down the pyramid. “PUT OUT THE FIRES! THIS IS HERMIT TERRITORY!”</p><p>There was a tug in the back of Tango’s mind. The army was moving closer to him now, and he could see the burn of his mother’s eyes. With a gulp, Tango squeezed his eyes shut and refused to open them again. He knew it was dangerous to lose his eyesight when an army was marching towards him, but he also knew he had to trust his friends. He had to trust the Hermits. Tango could feel the hum of the magic thrumming through those behind him and something cold ignited in Tango’s chest where Xisuma had laid his hand when he first met the Admin. It was the feeling of Void magic, and it was pouring off of Grian.</p><p>“I’M SORRY I BROKE OUR PROMISE!” Cried Tango over the empty space of desert. The army still advanced, and now the Hermits without enhanced demon eyesight could see the shape of their bodies and the numbers of their ranks. Tango squeezed his eyes shut tighter when he peeked and that tug in the back of his mind made him wince. “I’M SORRY I WENT BACK TO THE OVERWORLD! BUT THAT’S BEHIND US NOW, AND THIS IS MY HOME!”</p><p>I’M NEVER GOING TO BE THE PERFECT SON!” Tango covered his eyes with his hands as the overwhelming urge to look washed over him. He let himself be lost in the darkness behind his eyelids and searched somewhere in himself for what he needed to say. He could feel the heat of his mother approaching, the cold of Grian behind him. There was a twinge of something warm and sweet to his left. At his right were twin powers that made Tango’s head swirl. He knew the Hermits were at his sides now, Grian overlooking them, and Tango knew he could trust them. “BUT WE DON’T HAVE TO FIGHT ANYMORE! ISN’T THAT WHAT YOU ALWAYS WANTED!? THAT WE WOULD JUST STOP FIGHTING!?”</p><p>“Return my son to his place in the Nether, release him from your heathenistic clutches, or face the wrath of the High Court upon your pitiful Overworld!” Tavelia snarled. She shook her hands until they erupted with fire and Tango could feel her magic too, filling the Overworld and killing whatever it touched. “You little Hermits will regret ever <em>looking</em> upon the Nether!”</p><p>“Mom!” Tango shouted. He could feel the Hermits around him bristling, their magic beginning to buzz as the army surely got closer and closer. “I’m fine! They’re not hurting me!”</p><p>Feeling the brush of wind at his back, Tango then heard Grian’s voice from above him, dropped to a murmur. “Their archers are aiming. Tango, this isn’t working. We might have to switch to Plan B.”</p><p>“She won’t fire,” Said Stress. “with Tango so close to us she wouldn’t risk it.”</p><p>“I want to stay here!” Tango shouted. He could feel the warm press of his claws digging into his own face. The desire to <em>look</em>, to see the fire in front of him, to see how close the small army was, to look at his friend’s expressions, it was overwhelming. Tango dug his claws into the top of his head and squeezed his eyes shut tighter behind his palms. “I want to live in the Overworld! There can be peace!”</p><p>The world rattled with an explosion. Tango gasped and lost his footing on the slim steps of the pyramid and began to tumble, taking his hands from his eyes and falling, falling, falling, trying to catch himself. Tango was stopped suddenly and let out a gasp, looking over his shoulder to see Cub holding out his hands, his magic having grabbed the demon before he hit the ground and took the most damage. Scar’s hand was on Cub’s back, another steadying the man’s right arm, smile big and happy and proud. Tango chuckled as Cub used the same magic to manhandle the demon to his feet and. sure, he was aching a little, but he appreciated it nonetheless and threw Cub a thumbs up. Then, the made the mistake of looking in front of him.</p><p>The army was at the foot of the pyramid, only about twenty feet below. The archers were aiming at his friends and had begun firing now that he was no longer among their ranks, golden arrows launching from their crumbling crossbows. There was at least three dozen of the wither skeletons, and another dozen demons waiting before them. His mother and his father stood at the front, beginning to march up the pyramid. At least Tango knew what had caused the explosion, because he could that his mother had opened a ravine around Cub’s pyramid that was spitting lava.</p><p>Tango heard the all too familiar sound of a Nether portal, and when he blinked next, Tavelia stood in front of him. The demon went still, glaring at the sandstone of the pyramid like it was the most interesting thing in the world.</p><p>Clicking crossbows fired arrows overhead that screamed as they flew towards Tango’s friends. He could hear the growl of Stress’ plants erupting from the sand and coming to the Hermit’s aid, the <em>fwumph, woosh</em> of Grian’s wings, the hum of ConCorp’s magic, the clicking of netherite armor ascending the stairs, and the crackling of fire. The smell of brimstone burned in Tango’s nose and he watched Tavelia’s gown gather at her feet as she crouched in front of him.</p><p>Stress gasped as the demons began rushing up the steps towards her. “Sorry Cub!” She whined, flicking her wrists. A great wave of cacti flooded up from the sand below and punched through the sandstone of the pyramid, creating a wall between the mortals and the very angry demons. Unfortunately, this also created a wall between the group and Tango.</p><p>“It’s alright!” Cub said, giving Stress a small smile before turning towards the green brambles as they dissolved under waves of fire. Before he or Scar could do anything or Stress could mourn her cacti, Grian jumped in front of the group. He spread his wings wide and the approaching demons stepped back for only a moment, making the Admin smirk before he charged at them head on with a diamond sword in hand. He pulled himself into the air with the draft of his wings and kicked a demon in the chest before using that momentum and a timed flick of his feathers to stomp on another’s head.</p><p>Laughing at the beautiful yet violent scene in front of him, Scar took a moment to yell Grian’s praises before opening his hands wide. Cub followed his lead, and when the two raised their hands to the sky a deep rumbling began to shake the pyramid. The fighting stopped only for a moment as everyone gathered themselves, an explosion of sandstone sounding to the right of them. Several <em>giant </em>crystals had sprouted from the side of Cub’s pyramid, leaving the demons awfully confused as the two ex-Convex were imbued with the power leaking from the crystals. Stress ran further up the steps, almost to the tip, before she took a deep breath and reached for the sea life the pyramid overlooked. She tried her best to block out the fighting and focus on the cool of the water when suddenly, a wave of kelp and seagrass extracted itself from the nearest body and wrapped around her hands like gauntlets, dripping with water that made the three demons rushing her suddenly rethink their step.</p><p>“Oh, my poor son. Look at me darling. It’s alright.” Crooned Tavelia, almost oblivious to the battle roaring next to her. Still she crouched next to Tango’s head, close to the bottom of the pyramid, acting as if Tango was a child who had fell and scraped his knee.</p><p>“No,” Gasped Tango, bristling. He stared at the sandstone <em>harder</em>. “you can’t, you can’t <em>control </em>me. The Hermits are my family and you can either accept that or get the <em>Nether</em> out of my life.”</p><p>Behind him, Scar cried out in pain. Tango felt his mother run her claws through his hair as he began to shake. “This will be over in a moment my son.” The younger of the pair snarled when Tavelia pulled up his head to look at her, squeezing his eyes shut to prevent her magic from worming it’s way into his brain. Tavelia tsked, or hissed, Tango struggled to tell the difference. “You are an insolent child, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Leave my family alone.” Hissed Tango, filling his words with all the venom he could. “I know now. I know! Xisuma told me everything, I know everything that happened to the Nether with the Voidkind and the wars! But it wasn’t Xisuma. The Hermits weren’t even <em>alive </em>when the Nether was destroyed! Please, mom. It wasn’t them. They just want peace.”</p><p>“Plan B!” Shouted Grian from further up the pyramid, and Tango could have sworn he felt his heart seize.</p><p>“Grian- no!” He shouted, looking to the Admin with wide eyes. Grian met his gaze for a second and yelped as a wither arrow embedded itself into the shoulder of his left wing, sending the man plummeting back down to Earth, eyes rolling back into his skull. Tango could only watch in horror as his father moved to deliver a killing blow to Grian, his Admin, the idiot that had risked so much for the Hermits.</p><p>Looking to his mother in terror, Tango’s vision was filled with red.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter Twenty Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I’m not going to be your puppet,” Tango said weakly, feeling his mother’s magic force it’s way through him, curl around him like wicked hands, digging in it’s claws where it hurt the most, tinting his vision with the rich colour of blood. The younger demon shook with the effort to hold it off, glaring at his mother with all the hate he could manage. She just narrowed her eyes, perfectly serene, and the magic taking a hold of Tango squeezed. Choking on his breath, eyes blurring with tears, Tango shook his head. “You always told me that the Overworld was a terrible place full of evil people.”</p><p>“It is.” Snarled Tavelia, her resolve breaking for only a moment when Tango let out a high noise of pain.</p><p>“Tango!” Shouted Cub from further up the pyramid. “Grian is- Grian is down! You need to break out of it!”</p><p>“You can do it Tango!” Said Stress, his voice breaking with a gasp. The sounds of battle were loud and thunderous and Tango couldn’t stand it. He didn’t hear Grian or Scar, but the volley of arrows had slowed down. Even if he wasn’t looking, Tango knew that the demons that welcomed him home with a party only days ago were rounding up his friends to what? Kill them? He couldn’t bare the burning inside of him as he sunk all of his willpower into fighting off his mother’s magic. It hurt. It hurt so bad. He was going to pass out.</p><p>“You are the evil person,” Tango gasped, unable to breathe as he gritted his teeth. His head was pounding like no other, but all he could think of was the terrified looks on his friends face when they entered the coliseum. He refused to let it happen again. “you have made the world a terrible place.”</p><p>Tango passed out.</p><p>----------</p><p>Her son went limp, face pressed into the sandstone. Tavelia found herself gasping, shaking hands pulling Tango to herself. His skin was burning, burning more than usual, and when she held him close and looked up, her eyes met her husband’s. A growl erupted in her throat as a small human with brown hair and kelp-covered hands took a hesitant step down the pyramid in her direction.</p><p>“Please,” The human said. “I can help him.”</p><p>Tavelia snarled. The demons around the girl turned towards the human and began marching forwards to apprehend her. Only two of the mortals were left standing, one with a shaky grip on magic and a tired face, crouched next to his fallen friends, and the girl. A figure was beside Tavelia now, cradling Tango’s jaw over her shoulder.</p><p>“He’s hurt, Tavelia. We must get him back home.”</p><p>The humans were shouting as the other members of the High Court and several soldiers trapped their arms behind their backs. “We’re too far. The human’s base is too far away to turn around and the portals here have been infected.”</p><p>“What do we do?”</p><p>“You!” Tavelia shouted. She turned to lay Tango in the arms of his father, frowning at her son’s still face. Tango never was one for stillness, and the Head Chair of the High Court of all of the Nether felt like her blood was on fire as she turned to the humans. She strode up the pyramid, lips pulled back in a snarl. “Heal my son.”</p><p>The two humans looked at each other. They hands were tied behind their backs, wither skeletons holding them still. Behind them, more skeletons were tying up the wounded ones. One with big green eyes was dazed, breath caught in his throat every time his chest stuttered, but the other was still, veins turned black by the wither effect. Tavelia ignored them and instead glared at the girl. She shook under the scrutiny and the man next to her gave her a small nod.</p><p>“Only if you let us go.”</p><p>“<em>No.</em>”</p><p>“Then… Then I won’t heal Tango.”</p><p>A clawed hand surrounded the girl’s neck and Tavelia snarled as loudly as she could when the shaking human merely closed her eyes, bottom lip wobbling. “I will make you <em>suffer, </em>you will <em>hurt</em>, heal my son or I will- I will burn down this entire world! The Nether will see the sky! You <em>dare</em> disobey me, you insolent mortal, I-”</p><p>“I want to heal Tango.” The girl said. She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut tighter. “But I’m not going to play your game. I- I will heal your son, only if you let me go.”</p><p>“I will kill you. I will kill <em>all</em> of you disgusting Hermits if my son dies.”</p><p>“Put her down.” Said the man next to them. Tavelia hissed at him and he flinched and the man with dreary green eyes whimpered.</p><p>“You’re scared.” The girl whispered. “It’s okay. I am too.”</p><p>Tavelia dropped Stress. The druid crumpled to her knees and gasped for proper breaths, her weight nearly sending her toppling down the side of the pyramid. “You are free. Heal him.” A wither skeleton took the vines from Stress’ wrists and the druid stumbled to her feet. Her face was flushed and she gave Cub a side glance.</p><p>“I… I don’t have what I need. That’s in… Xisuma’s jungle! From last time I had to heal everyone.” Stress pursed her lips and glanced at Tango’s still form. Tavelia caught the anguish in her eyes. “You have to let us lead you to the jungle.”</p><p>That was how Tavelia found herself in the presence of a Voidkind. She turned up her nose, growled her displeasure, but the monster before her just smiled. He went to take Tango and the wither army behind her raised their crossbows. “You do not touch my son.” The large black claws withdrew and who she had learned to be Stress and Cub carried Tango into the giant base. Tavelia already felt herself aching at his absence.</p><p>“Where is Grian?” Asked the monster in front of her.</p><p>“He and the wizard will be under our hand until I receive my son.”</p><p>“We wish you no harm.” Said the Voidkind. He looked at the High Court, at the army, big red eyes twisting with thought. “I speak true. I am young- for my species, at least. I regret what my people did to the Nether and I wasn’t even there. Please, my friend, let us have some peace.”</p><p>“We are not friends.”</p><p>Long fangs pulled out of the matter of the Voidkind’s face. “Your son said the same thing when I first met him.”</p><p>----------</p><p>He shot up with a gasp. Sweat was cold on his skin but gone in a moment as the heat of the room around it burned the moisture away. Taking heaving breaths, Tango looked back in forth. He was in his room. He was in his room in the Nether. When he looked down, the flowing golden clothing was wrapped around his hips and when Tango touched his hair it was slicked back with thick swabs of dried gel. He swallowed hard, blinked a few times, clenched and unclenched his fists.</p><p>Was he under mind control? He didn’t feel any haze, and he wasn’t very confused, but Tango refused to trust himself.</p><p>There was laughter down the hall. High, shrill, child-like laughter. Frowning, Tango slid out of bed. There were no weapons in his room, of course there wasn’t, and he had no armor. The man swallowed and shifted closer to the door, the laughter ringing down the halls and coming closer and closer. Tango searched the room for hints of what had happened, but there was nothing around him, nothing in his pocket, and while the room was familiar is held none of his possessions. The door began to shift and Tango jumped behind the bed, crouching and pressing his forehead into the floor.</p><p>Shifting, shifting, shifting, the door suddenly slammed open. Tango tensed and the child laughing squealed, high and panicked and Tango cringed until he heard his father’s deep laughter. The bed squeaked with someone falling on it and the high voice of a young boy broke into giggles. “Again again! I want to fly again!”</p><p>At that point, Tango was certain he’d gone insane. He sat up, looking at the younger version of him sitting in the center of his bed. It was him when he was around… three? Four? Sitting on the bed, bouncing up and down, reaching for his father. Tango father stood next to the bed, shaking with laughter all the same. He lacked his armor for once in his life and he had smile lines in the corners of his eyes. Neither of them noticed Tango and he couldn’t tell if that disturbed him or relaxed him. Tango smacked himself in an attempt to wake up and all he got was a burning in his cheek. He grumbled at himself and decided to leave the room as his younger self and his father continued to play within the room that was far too big for a three-year-old.</p><p>Tango stepped into the hall before stopping with a small gasp. He was there again, aged considerably, leaning on one of the supports of the arch hallway across from one of his old friends. Tango tried to remember the boy’s name, but nothing came to mind and it made Tango ache a little. The other boy was a demon too, both of them having sprouted horns by now. They were talking and laughing and Tango felt like he was underwater, their words lost in distant garbled sounds.</p><p>They both looked to the end of the hall. An older demon was walking towards them with a purpose and while Tango knew the man should have been familiar, nothing was coming to mind in terms of name or relation. Younger Tango froze and looked about ready to run and his friend looked awfully defeated when the eldest of the three scooped up the young boy by his arm and began berating little Tango. With a frown, Tango watched the scene and tried to remember what was happening before him. All he knew was it left a deep sadness in him, watching the boy being dragged away, and his teen self shake his head and retreat into the room behind them where Tango had just left his baby self.</p><p>Oh, he was so confused. His head was pounding. He kept walking, hoping to find a way to wake up or get out of the fortress or end whatever the hell was happening to him.</p><p>Next time Tango turned the corner, he immediately knew that he was in a completely different part of the Nether Fortress. His mother was kneeling on the floor, a pendant being put around her neck. When she stood there was cheering, and she hugged Tango’s father before crushing Tango to her chest. This Tango looked nearly identical to him now. Tango couldn’t hear them, but they were laughing and smiling and festivities were picking up around them.</p><p>With a frown, Tango moved on. He stepped out of the room.</p><p>Once the door shut behind him, Tango was left in blackness. It was speckled with stars like Xisuma, and with a gulp Tango wondered if he was in the void. As he looked around the endless space, he then saw a Nether portal. With no other choice, Tango walked through. The magic overtook him with a <em>woosh</em> and Tango felt like he had dived into a pool of lava before he was spat out into the Overworld.</p><p>Hearing back, Tango listened to the baying animals in the distance, the creak of wood, the magic of the portal behind him. As he looked around, he slowly noticed he was in the basement of his cabin. Tango felt his entire body lurch against his will and let out a surprised gasp before he saw himself from only a few weeks prior. This Tango looked sad and tired and began walking up the stairs, scrubbing his face and sighing. Following slowly, Tango recognized this was him getting ready to go to the speakeasy after seeing the Deep Nether spread. And when he blinked, he was there, sitting among his friends. Tango startled when he noticed <em>he</em> sat in the seat, not a recreation of him he was just watching.</p><p>Impulse clapped Tango on the arm and soothing warmth spread through the demon from that point. Impulse raised an eyebrow as he stood to join the group where they were gambling only a few feet away. “You okay dude?”</p><p>For a moment, the demon felt like his head was going to explode. He saw everything he had done with the Hermits. Every prank, every invention, every stupid conversation, every mistake. He saw the first time he met Mumbo, the first time he talked to Xisuma, the first time he and Impulse messed around. He saw him and Zedaph scaring everyone when they first returned the year before. He saw himself and Grian starting the war. Tango saw the Hermits on spawn island, laughing and bustling with the excitement of a new world, and the demon knew that no matter how many memories of the Nether he had, he would make twice as many with the Hermits.</p><p>----------</p><p>Unconsciousness ebbed away into a painful headache that was putting pressure on the worst part of Tango’s brain. The demon squeezed his eyes shut before opening them with a weak moan and staring up at the ceiling above him, vision cloudy. “I feel… like I have been hit… by a thousand Boomer-iators…”</p><p>“Shhh…” Hummed Tavelia’s soft voice. Tango felt a bowl being pressed to his lips and for a moment, he tried to push it away, shaking his head and groaning. Her warm hand clasped the back of Tango’s neck and tilted his head at the same time she tilted the bowl, forcing a sip into Tango’s mouth. It tasted like his childhood, which has been so, so long ago, hundreds of years maybe. He really had stopped counting and caring and other than seeing himself so young on that bed Tango rarely thought of being a child. But the warm contents of the bowl twisted in his stomach and danced on his tongue and Tango recognized it as the soup Tavelia made when he was sick.</p><p>Panic seized him, the man beginning to fight the floaty haze his headache had cast over rational thought. He was in the Nether. Tavelia had him in the Nether. Were the Hermits alive? Was Hermitcraft okay? Tango tried to sit up but Tavelia’s grip tightened on the back of his neck as if she were holding a kitten. “Save your strength my son. Your friends will be here soon. You must eat.”</p><p>“Wh…” Is what Tango managed before the bowl was back to his lips. Now that he knew it was simple soup and not another dreadful potion that made Tango’s instincts flare up, he sipped, tentative at best. When it was taken away again, Tango squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. His voice was caught between a croak and a whimper when he spoke. “Where am I?”</p><p>“Home,” Replied Tavelia simply, and Tango felt his weight increase ten-fold as the world tried to swallow him. “Your home.”</p><p>With Tavelia’s hand slipping from the nape of his neck, Tango began sitting up. He had to find a Nether portal, he couldn’t be here, this was <em>wrong</em>-</p><p>He was in his cabin. Tango blinked once. Twice. He looked around and he was in his cabin. Tavelia sat attentively on his bed, coiled hair falling freely over her shoulders. She held the bowl in her lap now, looking outside the window to the towering building that was Impulse’s base. Tango looked down at himself and saw his normal clothes, not a bandage or sign of injury in sight. He looked to Tavelia, who looked at the bowl in her lap.</p><p>“Later. When the mortals are not present.” She said.</p><p>“Mortals?” Tango echoed, jumping as his door was kicked open.</p><p>“Tango!” Zedaph shouted, running in. Tavelia quickly stood and moved to the side so Zedaph and Impulse had room to climb onto the bed and smother Tango with affection. False walked closer albeit more carefully, a careful smile on her face as Impulse punched Tango in the shoulder and Zedaph jumped off the bed to give him space. “You need to stop passing out! I’m worried about your iron levels.”</p><p>“I… wh… I have the fastest iron farm on the server, what are you talking about?” Tango’s confused brain answered helpfully.</p><p>False laughed and gave Tango a gentle side hug before standing next to Impulse who was practically vibrating with excitement. “I can not tell you how glad I am to see you awake dude. It’s been so quiet and everyone has been going crazy. Grian was saying-”</p><p>“Grian is okay?” Asked Tango. He cleared his throat as he struggled to take everything in. “What about Xb? And Hypno? Everyone is okay?”</p><p>“You’re overwhelming him.” Said Tavelia from behind the Hermits.</p><p>Serenely, False sat on the bed where Tavelia had been moments before. “Everyone is fine Tango.”</p><p>“I’m dreaming. I’m hallucinating. What’s happening.” Tango swallowed hard and looked around, feeling something a lot like tears beginning to build up. “I don’t know what’s going on. How long was I out? Why is my mom here? Everyone is okay? Am I in the Overworld or- or am I going insane?”</p><p>“Dude, deep breath.” Said Zedaph, putting his hand on Tango’s back. The demon struggled with that order but did his best, holding his pounding head in his hands. The cabin went silent around him, forcing him to focus on his breathing and how fast and rushed it sounded. Tango felt a tear track down his face and wiped it away before looking up again, his breath shaky on the exhale. Zedaph calmly rubbed his back and when Tango gave him a glance the man smiled. “It’s fine, mate. We got everything worked out. You’ve been loopy for the last two days but that gave the High Court and Grian and Xisuma enough time to work some stuff out.”</p><p>Looking to Tavelia, Tango frowned. “I- you- wait. You’re not hellbent on killing mortals now?”</p><p>“I never was.” Said Tavelia. False and Impulse gave each other A Look and her keen demon eyes caught it. “I’m not saying I never <em>planned</em> on killing mortals, I’m saying it wasn’t my first choice. You came home reeking of the Void… I thought something had happened to you.”</p><p>“I am going to be honest with you my son I don’t know how you withstood my magic. Once you were unconscious I… didn’t know what to do. I had never expected you to fight so fiercely for a small group of mortals.” Tavelia said, swallowing around her words like they pained her to say them. “You looked to be in pain, even in your sleep. Your father noticed you fall and was very worried. We had to treat you… but the nearest Nether Portal was too far to carry you, even with magic. The girl…”</p><p>“Stress.”</p><p>“Stress. She said she could heal you. We made an unstable truce with your little Hermits that you would be healed and we wouldn’t kill anyone. When you didn’t wake up and it was clear your… your little gods would not let us go, we came to an agreement.” Tavelia looked sad. Tango couldn’t remember the last time he had seen his mother sad. He had seen angry, and excited, or frustrated, but never something so morose. “No harm would come to you and no harm would befall your Hermits.”</p><p>“How are you feeling man?” Impulse broke the calm Tavelia’s voice had laid over the cabin and Tango cleared his throat to give himself more time to wrap his head around what had been said.</p><p>“A, a little loopy but… I’m fine. I’m fine.” He made to move and False stood to get out of the way. Tango stood and suffered through the pins and needles that shot through him, a bolt of pain rocketing through his spine for standing so quickly after not moving for so long. He stumbled on his step and Tavelia moved forwards to catch him. Once righted, Tango pulled his mother in for a tight hug. He leaned into her and squeezed her close and shut his eyes and suffered through the blush that rose in his cheeks.</p><p>Stunned, Tavelia took a moment to hug back. She gathered up her son and held him closer, digging her nose into his hair and squeezing him as tight as she could. She took a deep breath and smelled nothing but the musky smell of the Overworld, of the water and the dirt and the sharpness of the sun. Tavelia pushed down tears and hugged Tango tighter, refusing to cry in front of the mortals. She couldn’t remember the last time Tango hugged her on his own accord. She didn’t want to let go when Tango began to loosen his grip, but she did have a reputation to uphold.</p><p>“I’m sorry I didn’t keep our promise.” Tango spoke under his breath, not meeting her eyes. “I’m really proud of you, mom.”</p><p>“I’m very proud of you too.” Said Tavelia. Tango was whisked back to days where the High Court wasn’t all she did, wasn’t the only place she spent her time, to the days where they would sit together and she would tell stories and Tango would listen with nothing but wonder. That’s what her voice sounded like. Like she was telling a story. Tango really hoped this was the ending.</p><p>Tavelia cleared her throat and visibly steeled herself, taking a step back. “Your little gods have been extremely worried about you. I brought your- your box.” She dug through her pockets for Tango’s communicator, his name crudely carved into the side by a pair of sheers five worlds ago. “I have business to attend to. Trading discussion, in the High Court, among other districts and fortresses in the Nether. I will… return in a week or so. To make sure you have been properly healed.”</p><p>She disappeared into a swirl of purple particles. Tango smiled when he heard her rummaging around his portal in his basement and shook his head fondly. The Hermit wiped his eyes and turned to his friends, shaking himself off. “Alright. What did I miss?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And this is it! Thank you again to EVERYONE for reading. I appreciate y'all so much, the comments give me so much joy and the kudos are much appreciated. I hope everyone enjoyed this mess and are looking forwards to the next one!<br/>I have... four or five chapters of an NHO fic prewritten and am currently making more! Expect the new book in a few days so I can kick that number up a bit.<br/>Stay safe out there, everyone. Be kind to yourselves and wash your hands!</p>
        </blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
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        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24807121">Suffocation</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Panukeku/pseuds/CrepeHC">CrepeHC (Panukeku)</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
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